Policy Overview:  Land Use/Development (selected topics)

This page includes resources the department has compiled, on selected topics related to land use and development, to serve as background information for analysis and consideration of land use policies:  (1) a fact sheet on the structure of State law governing the regulation of land use in the State; (2) a report providing information on impact fees and excise taxes imposed to help pay for facilities needed to support development; and (3) a map and pdf document cataloging the county adequate public facilities ordinances (APFOs) in the State.

Regulation of Land Use in the State

It is State policy, established in State law, that (1) comprehensive regulation (through implementation of planning and zoning controls) is necessary for the orderly development and use of land and structures in the State and (2) planning and zoning controls must be implemented by local government. Various State law provisions authorize and govern local governments’ regulation of land use in the State, with variation in which provisions apply to which local governments. See the fact sheet to the left for more information.

Development Impact Fees and Excise Taxes

Development impact fees and excise taxes enable local governments to collect revenue for new or expanded public facilities or services necessitated by new residential or commercial development, shifting the costs of financing the new or expanded facilities/services from existing taxpayers to those responsible for the development. See the report to the left for more information.

Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances

An APFO is a growth management tool that attempts to link the timing of new development to the availability of public facilities capacity needed to serve the development. See the map and pdf document to the left cataloging counties’ APFOs.