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

Save

bookmark
building under construction
Real Estate Debt for Planners
Menka Sethi
73 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A

Save

bookmark
Austin comprehensive plan graphic
What is a Comprehensive Plan?
Mary Reilly
60 Mins

Save

bookmark
a row of three suburban homes
Just Suburbs: The New Frontier for Equity and Inclusion
David Dixon
56 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

Save

bookmark
shelf with legal books
Legal Issues for Form-Based Codes
Mark White
80 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A

Save

bookmark
aerial view of new york city
The American City, Part 4: Complexity and Pattern in the City
Mark David Major
53 Mins
  • AIA CES

Save

bookmark
historic buildings in Charleston South Carolina
Introduction to Historic Preservation
Meredith Johnson
38 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

Save

bookmark
neon entertainment signs
Regulating Sex Businesses, Part 2: Practical Tips
Eric Damian Kelly
62 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A

Save

bookmark
metro train with buildings in background
Transportation Planning: Land Use and Transportation Systems
Richard Willson
62 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

Save

bookmark
detached accessory dwelling unit ADU in backyard
Accessory Dwelling Units: Understanding America’s Newest Housing Typology
Jason Neville
57 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

Save

bookmark
black and white image aerial of suburban homes
The Story of Sprawl
Tim Halbur
163 Mins

Save

bookmark
aerial view of a city
Overview of the Planning Process
Mary Reilly
40 Mins

Save

bookmark
Sprawling residential neighborhoods with many single family houses.
Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix it
Nolan Gray
67 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

Save

bookmark
map showing land use
Regional Scenario Planning: An Overview
Garlynn Woodsong
47 Mins
  • SACPLAN CPD

Save

bookmark
exterior photo of home for urban planning course
Exploring the Regulation of Short-Term Rentals
Malak Hakim
67 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A

Save

bookmark
modern house called Falling Water by architect Frank Lloyd Wright
Historic Preservation: How-to Guide
Meredith Johnson
73 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

Save

bookmark
bright neon signs in las vegas
Defensible Sign Regulations
Eric Damian Kelly
63 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

Save

bookmark
interior of marijuana dispensary
Local Regulation of Marijuana Businesses
Alan Weinstein
56 Mins
  • AICP CM

Save

bookmark
Boston buildings and bridge
The Elements of Citymaking: Design, Policy, and Finance
Jason Neville
57 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

Save

bookmark
aerial view of suburban homes
The Story of Sprawl - With Commentary Tracks
Tim Halbur
143 Mins

Save

bookmark
panoramic image of city buildings along a waterfront
Basic Legal Framework for Planning Officials
Wayne Beyea
47 Mins

Save

bookmark
A woman sitting at a sewing machine
Making Room for Home-Based Businesses
Nolan Gray
46 Mins
  • CIP
  • AICP CM

Save

bookmark
homes being rebuilt from natural disaster
Disaster Resilience and Recovery Through Land Use Planning
Walter Gillis Peacock
78 Mins
  • SACPLAN CPD

Save

bookmark
exterior and interior of tiny home for urban planning course
Regulatory Implications of Tiny Homes
Malak Hakim
58 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A

Save

bookmark
three images of New York buildings, Central Park and a man riding a bike
U.S. City Planning 101
Dave Amos
46 Mins

Top Zoning Codes Instructors

Eric Damian Kelly

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

VIEW COURSES
Daniel Parolek

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

VIEW COURSES
David Dixon

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

VIEW COURSES
Mark David Major

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

VIEW COURSES
Richard Willson

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

VIEW COURSES
Norman Wright

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

VIEW COURSES
Brad Neumann

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

VIEW COURSES
Mary Reilly

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

VIEW COURSES
Donald Shoup

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

VIEW COURSES
Geoffrey Ferrell

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

VIEW COURSES
Mary Madden

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

VIEW COURSES
Peter Henn

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

VIEW COURSES
Jeff Speck

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

VIEW COURSES
Nolan Gray

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

VIEW COURSES
Jenny Schuetz

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

VIEW COURSES
Christy Dodson

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

VIEW COURSES
Jason Neville

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

VIEW COURSES
Lance Freeman

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

VIEW COURSES
Meredith Johnson

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

VIEW COURSES
Chris Holtkamp

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

VIEW COURSES
Alan Weinstein

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

VIEW COURSES
Malak Hakim

Malak Hakim is a nationally accredited urban planner.

VIEW COURSES
James Carpentier

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

VIEW COURSES
Lisa Wise

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

VIEW COURSES

Related Topics

SEARCH MORE TOPICS BELOW

Master Urban Planning Skills With A Planetizen Courses Subscription.

Sign up
Computer

High quality video lessons developed by experts.

Analytics

Complete course work to receive a certificate from Planetizen.

Certificate

Test your comprehension with course quizzes.

Cloud

Access reading lists, articles, and other materials prepared by instructors.

All Zoning Codes Courses

Podcasting for Planners Sign Up

Save

bookmark

Podcasting for Planners

Instructor: Ma'ayan Dembo

Audio editing is a great way to tell a story, share information, create a digital record of events, or improve community outreach. In this course, learn the basics of podcasting and audio editing.

4.31
58 Mins
Video for Planners Sign Up

Save

bookmark

Video for Planners

Instructor: Tim Halbur

Video can be a highly effective tool for communicating urban planning issues as well as increasing public knowledge and community engagement. This video course will walk you through the three steps of creating a video: capturing the footage, creating the video with editing software, and distributing video across the web. We’ll look at examples of urban planning departments that have used video well, and review different content types that you can use as a model.

4.27
25 Mins

Topic

Software