One of the cornerstones of urban planning in many cities, zoning codes are sets of regulations used by local governments to control land use by defining what can and cannot be built in specific neighborhoods, what buildings can look like, and what uses can coexist in the same areas. Use-based zoning is an important tool for guiding development in most U.S. cities, but more recently, cities are turning to form-based codes, which focus on design rather than use. Local jurisdictions often push back when states attempt to preempt local control of zoning through statewide regulations that mandate higher density.

Zoning Codes Courses

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rendering of city aerial
The DIY Form-Based Code: Testing and Refining
Norman Wright
81 Mins

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aerial view of city buildings
Introduction to Planning: Implementation of the Plan
Eric Damian Kelly
38 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

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Housing and Racial Justice: Current Events Urban Resilience
59 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

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street with buildings and trees
Form-Based Codes 101: Corridors
Geoffrey Ferrell, Kaizer Rangwala
55 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • LA CES

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aerial of downtown colorado springs
Incremental Code Reform: Enabling Better Places
Lynn Richards, Susan Henderson
59 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

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chicago skyline and lincoln park
How Zoning Shapes Cities, Communities, and Regions
Jenny Schuetz
84 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

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The American City, Part 1: A Brief History of the Regular Grid
Mark David Major
47 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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aerial view of rural farm land
Overview of the Zoning Process
Brad Neumann
38 Mins

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black and white image of a crosswalk light with a green walking man and a red hanging man
Walkable City 2: The Useful Walk
Jeff Speck
82 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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city created in sketchup
The DIY Form-Based Code: Publishing and Expanding
Norman Wright
87 Mins

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mixed use space fishers indiana for urban planning course
Introduction to Planning: Zoning as an Implementation Tool
Eric Damian Kelly
50 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

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sandbags aligned horizontally with a flooded street and houses in the background
Introduction to Resilience Planning
Chris Holtkamp
69 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

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downtown salt lake city skyline
Form-Based Codes 101: Downtowns
Mary Madden, Victor Dover
66 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • LA CES

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busy street with cars and pedestrians in India
The Human Scale
81 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

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aerial of los angeles with apartment buildings
Prospects for Zoning Reform
Jenny Schuetz
96 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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Legal Issues in Sign Codes
James Carpentier
59 Mins
  • AICP CM

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still from the movie of two people walking on sidewalk with trees and buildings in the background
Lewis Mumford on the City 4: The Heart of the City
29 Mins
  • AICP CM

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Bright walkway inbetween buildings with palm trees and a man walking in the background in Dubai
Walkable City 5: The Comfortable Walk
Jeff Speck
66 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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Planning and the Law: The Takings Clause
Thomas Hawkins
69 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A

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map of building types
Form-Based Codes: Using Building Types, Part 1
63 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

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wildfire on a hill behind a row of suburban homes
Resilience Planning for Wildfires
Chris Holtkamp
58 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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aerial view of suburban homes
Form-Based Codes 101: Preparing a Form-Based Code
Lisa Wise, Daniel Parolek
61 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A

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portrait of Daniel Burnham
Make No Little Plans: Daniel Burnham and the American City
58 Mins
  • AICP CM

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city skyline
A New Era of Downtown Opportunity: The Intersection of Housing and Innovation
David Dixon
65 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

Top Zoning Codes Instructors

Eric Damian Kelly

Eric Damian Kelly is a lawyer and planner with more than 35 years of experience working...

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Daniel Parolek

Daniel Parolek is a nationally recognized thought leader in architecture, design, and urban planning, specifically in...

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David Dixon

David is well known for helping create new, mixed-use urban districts (in both cities and suburbs)...

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Mark David Major

Dr. Mark David Major, AICP, CNU-A is a Professor of Urban Design at the Savannah College...

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Richard Willson

Richard Willson is a professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at California State...

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Norman Wright

Norman Wright is the Director of Neighborhood Services for Adams County, Colorado. In his career as...

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Brad Neumann

Brad Neumann is a MSU Senior Extension Educator who serves as an educational resource for local...

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Mary Reilly

Mary Reilly is a land use educator with Michigan State University Extension.

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Donald Shoup

Donald Shoup is Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Urban Planning at UCLA. His research...

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Geoffrey Ferrell

Geoffrey is one of the originators of the modern practice of Form-Based Codes. His work ranges...

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Mary Madden

Mary Madden has nearly 20 years of experience in the fields of urban planning and design...

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Peter Henn

PETER J. HENN, Esq., AICP, is a land use attorney at Jones Foster in West Palm...

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Jeff Speck

Jeff Speck is a city planner who advocates internationally for more walkable cities.

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Nolan Gray

M. Nolan Fray is the Research Director for California YIMBY, an expert in urban land-use regulation...

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Jenny Schuetz

Jenny is a Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro and an expert in housing policy.

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Christy Dodson

Christy is an Urban Designer at Code Studio, with a background in architecture and planning.

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Jason Neville

Jason is an experienced urban planner, redevelopment professional, and affordable housing developer.

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Lance Freeman

Lance Freeman is a Professor in the Urban Planning Program at Columbia University in New York...

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Meredith Johnson

Meredith is the owner of Johnson Planning and Preservation LLC, a boutique firm that works to...

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Chris Holtkamp

Chris Holtkamp is a certified planner and is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Planning at the...

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Alan Weinstein

Alan Weinstein holds a joint faculty appointment at Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and...

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Malak Hakim

Malak Hakim is a nationally accredited urban planner.

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James Carpentier

James Carpentier is State and Local Government Affairs Manager with the International Sign Association (ISA).

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Lisa Wise

As a planner and Certified Public Accountant, Ms. Wise has 20 years of professional experience in...

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All Zoning Codes Courses

Introduction to GIS, Part 2 Sign Up

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Introduction to GIS, Part 2

Instructor: Sloan Campi

Take the next step into the world of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and ArcGIS Pro with an overview of navigation, map projections, and essential map design principles.

4.33
52 Mins
CIP
AICP CM
Navigating the Ethical Landscape for AI in Urban Planning Sign Up

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Navigating the Ethical Landscape for AI in Urban Planning

Instructor: Tom Sanchez

Uncover some of the largest ethical issues related to using AI in urban planning and the steps cities around the world are taking to ensure fairness, honesty, and accountability as this revolutionary technology becomes more embedded in the modern world.

4.38
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CIP
AIA CES
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Demystifying AI: Terminology, Tools, and Techniques for Urban Planners Sign Up

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Demystifying AI: Terminology, Tools, and Techniques for Urban Planners

Instructor: Tom Sanchez

Understanding the basics of artificial intelligence, or AI, is increasingly important for urban planners. Learn the capabilities, limitations, and language of emerging technologies that utilize AI methods.

4.44
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