Land Development and Zoning

What is land development and zoning?

Why should you care about it?

When you travel through Knox County, you see a variety of things. On one road there are houses. The next road has stores and other businesses. On a third road there are corn fields. The land has been used in different ways on each of these roads. How the land is used is called land development.

The local government has passed laws determining which way the land can be used. Laws that explain how the land can be developed are called zoning laws.

East Gambier Street , Mt Vernon
East Gambier Street, Mt Vernon
Photo by Mike Shelton
House The government has zoned the first street a residential district. In a residential district people can build houses.
The second street is zoned a business district. A business district contains buildings like grocery stores, restaurants, malls and office buildings. Business
Building Other buildings like factories, power plants and mills belong in the industrial district.
The third street is zoned an agricultural district. In an agricultural district land is used for farming. Combine
Golf green Land can also be zoned into a conservation district. In a conservation district, the land is used for parks and golf courses.

Wheat stalk On a sheet of paper, name the five ways in which land can be zoned.
Wheat stalk Now match the buildings from this list to the zoning districts they would be found in:


Click on the map to explore zoning
in Knox County and Hilliar Township.
These maps give an example of how
Hilliar Township has decided to develop
its land.
Map
Click on the handshake to learn about
community land develoment plans.
Also see how to change rural zoning laws.
Handshake






Click on the notepad to learn what Knox
County residents and farmers think about
land development and zoning in their community.
This class project will challenge you to
think about the future of your own community.
Notepad

Take the crossroads back to Future of Family Farming. Crossroad






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