Zoning & Land-Use
Zoning and land-use events decide what can be built where — housing, businesses, development, and the shape of your neighborhood. They’re often the most consequential local decisions a government makes, and the ones neighbors turn out for in force. We’re tracking 4,448 zoning events across the country right now.
What happens at a zoning meeting
Planning commissions and zoning boards review proposals to build, rezone, or change how land is used, and hold hearings before deciding. Because these decisions affect specific properties and streets, the public role is unusually direct — hearings frequently invite testimony from neighbors and applicants alike, and notice requirements tend to be strong. If a project near you is on the agenda, this is where the decision gets made, and where showing up actually moves it.