land use law: an overview
In colonial America, few regulations existed to control the use of land, due to the seemingly endless amounts of it. As society shifted from rural to urban, public land regulation became important, especially to city governments trying to control industry, commerce, and housing within their boundaries. The first zoning ordinance was passed in New York City in 1916, and, by the 1930s, most states had adopted zoning laws. In the 1970s, concerns about the environment and historic preservation led to further regulation.
Today, federal, state, and local governments regulate growth and development through statutory law. The majority of controls on land, however, stem from the actions of private developers and individuals. Three typical situations bringing such private entities into the court system are: suits brought by one neighbor against another; suits brought by a public official against a neighboring landowner on behalf of the public; and suits involving individuals who share ownership of a particular parcel of land. In these situations, judicial decisions and enforcement of private land-use arrangements can reinforce public regulation, and achieve forms and levels of control that regulatory zoning cannot.
Two major federal laws have been passed in the last half century that limit the use of land significantly. These are the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (today embodied in 16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.) and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
menu of sources
Federal Material
U.S. Constitution
Federal Statutes
Federal Regulations
- Code of Federal Regulations:
Federal Judicial Decisions
- U.S. Supreme Court:
- U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals: Recent Land Use Decisions
State Material
State Statutes
Judicial Decisions
- N.Y. Court of Appeals:
- Appellate Decisions from Other States
Other References
Key Internet Sources
- Federal Agencies:
- LandUse (CIESIN)
- Historic Preservation (PreserveNet)
- ABA Section of Real Property, Probate & Trust Law
- Neighbor Disputes (Nolo)
- Business Space & Commercial Leases (Nolo)
- New York City Zoning Handbook
- Center for Urban Policy Research (Rutgers)
- Urban Planning, 1794-1918: An International Anthology of Articles, Conference Papers, and Reports
- American Planning Association
- Congress for the New Urbanism
- International Federation for Housing and Planning
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
- National Association of Regional Councils
- Urban Land Institute
Useful Offnet (or Subscription - $) Sources
- Good Starting Point in Print: Julian Juergensmeyer and Thomas Roberts, Hornbook on Land Use Planning and Control Law, West Group, (2003)