Meaning & use
commercial zoning
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountablelegalAmericanbusiness
Local rules that allow only shops, offices, and other businesses to be built or run in a particular area.
Grammar: Uncountable: say 'commercial zoning allows it', not 'a commercial zoning allows it'.
Patterns
- commercial zoning laws
- commercial zoning regulations
- change the commercial zoning
- commercial zoning for something
The land is under commercial zoning, so you cannot build houses there.
Residents opposed changing the commercial zoning to allow a large shopping center.
The developer applied for commercial zoning before buying the empty lot.
Common combinations
- commercial zoning laws
- Commercial zoning laws vary from city to city.
- commercial zoning regulations
- The new commercial zoning regulations limit building height.
- change the commercial zoning
- They asked the council to change the commercial zoning on the site.
- commercial zoning permit
- You need a commercial zoning permit to open a restaurant here.
Synonyms and how they differ
- business zoning
- A less common but clear alternative; 'commercial zoning' is the standard term in official documents.
- land-use regulation
- A broader term covering all rules about how land may be used, including housing and farming.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: commercial zoning or residential zoning?
commercial zoning vs residential zoning
Residential zoning allows homes; commercial zoning allows businesses. A building that does not match the zoning may not be allowed.
Practice
A city says a certain street may only have shops and offices, not houses. What is this called?
Choose one answer.
'Commercial zoning' allows businesses such as shops and offices. 'Residential zoning' is for homes, 'industrial zoning' is for factories, and 'agricultural zoning' is for farming.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “commercial zoning”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.