Community Development: Zoning

Purpose and Intent

Zoning is the designation and reservation of industrial, commercial and residential uses that comply with the intent of the City's Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Each use is categorized by zones on the City's Official Zoning Map and uses within each zone is enforced by restrictions enumerated in the Municipal Zoning Ordinance.

The purpose of zoning is:

To promote and protect the health, safety and general welfare of the city and its people;
To promote orderly growth and development in the city;
To promote compatible uses of land throughout the city;
To prevent overcrowding of land and unreasonable concentrating of population;To prevent deterioration of the environment by regulating uses of land and structures in the city;
To protect and stabilize property values that could be undermined by the development of incompatible uses on adjacent or nearby property;
To limit congestion in the public streets and to protect the public health and welfare by regulating off-street vehicular parking and vehicle loading spaces;
To protect against fire, explosion, noxious fumes, pollution of the environment and other hazards;
To provide adequate light, air and privacy, and to provide convenient access to property;
To facilitate efficiency in providing public services and protecting public investments;
To divide the city into zones or districts by the size, location, construction, reconstruction, alteration and use of land and structures for residential, business and industrial purposes; and
To define and limit the powers of the administrative officers and bodies provided herein.

Zoning Information

Board of Zoning Appeals

The Board of Zoning Appeals is authorized to hear appeals in matters relating to zoning ordinances, variance requests to the terms of the zoning ordinance and to review zoning ordinance interpretations made by the Planning Director. The Board schedules hearings on an as needed basis. Board members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Common Council for a term of three years.

The Board of Zoning Appeals is supported by planning staff that takes in applications for appeal and processes the necessary information. The office staff is also responsible for sending out notification of a pending appeal to interested parties.