How are Land Use Planning and Zoning Related?
Zoning depends on planning and planning depends on zoning. Neither can exist without the other. The comprehensive plan can be thought of as a roadmap which captures in pictures and words what a community wishes for itself. Although the plan will talk about land use, it does not regulate land use. This is the role of the zoning ordinance. In short, the comprehensive plan provides the public policy basis for drawing and applying the zoning districts, which in turn control what happens on the land. Zoning is the implementation tool to reach the plan’s land use goals.
