What does rezoning mean?
Rezoning is the process of revising the designated use or boundaries of an area of land, or the act of assigning land to a new zone. It is especially common in discussions of urban planning, housing development, commercial property, and public policy. For example, a municipality may rezone industrial land to allow housing, or change a district's permitted building height after residents petition for a change. The word combines the prefix “re-,” meaning again, with “zoning,” so it normally implies that an existing zoning arrangement is being altered rather than introduced for the first time. Rezoning can produce substantial effects on property values, development rights, and the character of a neighborhood. The process commonly involves planning authorities, zoning maps, applications, public hearings, and approval by elected officials or planning boards.
The act or process of revising an existing land-use zone or dividing land into new zones.
"The rezoning of the waterfront could bring thousands of new homes."
Often used in legal, planning, and real-estate contexts.
To revise the zoning boundaries or designated use of an area of land.
"The assembly voted to rezone the property for mixed-use development."
Usually refers to a formal change made through a planning or zoning process.
Plural forms are possible but uncommon; the uncountable form is normally used when referring to the general process.
"The committee considered several rezonings along the northern edge of the city."
Rezoning shows that a line on a map can be revised—and that where we are allowed to live, work, and build can change with a vote.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does rezoning come from?
Rezoning is a 19th-century formation built from “re-,” meaning again, and “zoning,” with the suffix “-ing.” “Zone” comes through French from the Greek zōnē, meaning a belt or girdle, reflecting the original sense of an encircling area. The modern sense developed with the use of zoned districts for urban planning and the regulation of land use.
Related word forms
How rezoning is actually used
The term is most common in North American urban planning and real-estate law, though it is also used in Britain. It normally concerns formal changes to mapped land-use districts and often carries legal, political, or financial implications.
Easily confused with rezoning
Zoning is the general establishment and enforcement of land-use districts, whereas rezoning specifically means revising an existing zone or zoning plan.