7/29/2019 Zone Regulations - Abstract - Term Paper

1/1

Zone regulations: Area Standards.

Abstract

In a given society, at each historical stage, market/institutional forces throw up common and widely

recognized patterns of urban land distribution in human settlements of similar size. The improving

technology of transportation and communication acts upon the historical form and provides new

opportunities for development. Where the inherited form does not meet the changing goals andobjectives of society or is slow to respond to opportunities created by new technology, the Planner is

called upon to intervene. However, the planner must be aware of the pervasive power of market

processes, so that limitations to the scope of planned intervention are understood. In this context, the

basic tools of land use control i.e. zoning and subdivision regulations are described.

Zoning is a method by which the development plan segregates parcels of land or areas of towns and

ascribes to them broad classifications of appropriate use, for example residential, industrial,

commercial or educational. Combinations of uses can also be indicated.

Zoning, land subdivision and building control comprise a hierarchy of regulator techniques for land use

control, at different degree of detail. These are described as follows:

i. Zoning regulates the overall structure.ii. Land subdivision is concerned with the immediate relationship between contiguous

plots, access and services.

iii. Building control regulates the proportion of built-up area, setbacks, height and bulk oneach plot.

The three devices are normally used in conjunction and indeed have overlapping elements. The

execution these devices are directed by town planning and building regulations. Building control

guidelines have been given in NATIONAL BUILDING CODE and BULDING BYE-LAWS (of various

authorities acting under provincial legislation).

Zoning and Building regulations are generally the silent protector to the general public and are

generally not well recognized unless a situation where regulations are either inadequate or are not

enforced occurs. This generally tends to occur after large events such as earthquakes, hurricanes

(typhoons) and fires with extensive economic and life loss.

This paper will explore importance and challenges associated with zoning regulations and their

enforcement. This paper will set the stage for discussing performance regulations, how they relate to

prescriptive regulations and the important elements that must be addressed to accomplish the same

ideals that traditional building codes have been built upon.

Key Terms: Zoning, land subdivision, building control and bye-laws, area standards, building codes,

density, setbacks, prescriptive regulations, performance-based regulations, etc.

By: Syed Ali Raza Shah

Term Paper Assignment AR-609 Regulator Considerations in Architectural

Applications