The comprehensive land use plan is composed of land use maps, policies and land use category descriptions. The goal of the comprehensive land use plan is to provide a general pattern for the location, distribution and character of future land uses within Pasco’s boundaries. The comprehensive land use plan is not a zoning document but rather a reflection of the community’s vision of its future self.
The comprehensive land use plan is intended to promote public health, safety and general welfare by providing efficiency and economy in the process of growth.
A Zoning Ordinance is one of the oldest and most commonly used form of implementing land use guidelines in the United States. The first zoning ordinances were created to reduce fire vulnerability in larger cities like New York by regulating building heights and distance between structures. Today, zoning ordinances typically regulate land-use types, intensity of uses, building densities, parking and other land development related issues.
Zoning is a key tool to implement comprehensive and development plans in all communities. The zoning ordinance is the legally binding regulatory tool that helps to make the comprehensive plan a reality.