What does rezoned mean?
Rezoned is the past tense and past participle of rezone, a verb meaning to place land or property into a different planning zone or to rearrange an area's designated zones. The word commonly appears in discussions of municipal planning, urban development, and changes to permitted uses for buildings or land. Rezoning a district might permit residential construction where industry was previously allowed, preserve open space from development, or redesign the boundaries of planning areas. Because zoning decisions can affect property values, development rights, and neighborhood use, the term often carries a practical and occasionally political tone. The prefix re- indicates a new arrangement rather than the original designation. In journalistic and administrative writing, the related forms rezone and rezoning are generally more common than the inflected form rezoned.
verbTo divide or rearrange an area into new zones, especially for changes in land use, planning, or development.
- To assign land to a different zoning classification or rearrange the designated zones of an area.
- To divide or reorganize an area into zones for planning, development, or another designated purpose.
"The council rezoned the industrial area to allow new housing development."
"The authorities rezoned the land after the original development plan was abandoned."
"Several warehouses were rezoned for residential use, allowing the neighborhood to expand."
Rezoning can redraw a map without moving a single boundary stone.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does rezoned come from?
Rezone is formed in English by combining the prefix re-, meaning again or anew, with zone, a word borrowed from French and ultimately from Latin zona, itself derived from a Greek term meaning belt or girdle. The prefix emphasizes that an area is being placed into zones again or that its previous zoning boundaries or purposes are being changed. Zonal shares the same Latin root and refers more generally to something involving zones or regions.
Related word forms
How rezoned is actually used
Chiefly used in formal urban-planning, property-development, and administrative contexts. It is especially common in North American zoning systems but is also used in British English.
Easily confused with rezoned
Rezoned means rearranged into zones, whereas resigned means formally gave up a job or position.