Zoning is the local government regulation that divides land into districts (residential, commercial, industrial, mixed-use) and specifies what can be built in each district. Zoning rules govern: permitted uses, building setbacks from property lines, maximum building height, maximum lot coverage, parking requirements, signage rules, landscaping requirements, and density restrictions (units per acre, floor area ratio). Each municipality has its own zoning code; rules vary widely between adjacent jurisdictions.
Zoning is enforced through site plan review, building permit issuance, and certificate of occupancy. Projects that conform to zoning proceed normally. Projects that need exceptions require either a variance (formal exception for a specific deviation), a conditional use permit (specific use approval for a use the zoning allows conditionally), a special exception, or rezoning (changing the underlying zoning district, which is a much larger and longer process). Verify zoning compliance before purchasing land or signing a lease; a non-conforming project can be impossible to permit even with extensive design effort.