Zoning is the practice of dividing land into separate districts with different uses with the goal of promoting the general welfare and protecting property values by establishing the most appropriate use of land. Ohio cities derive their power to enact zoning and land use regulations from the Ohio Constitution, Article XVIII, Section 32. In Village of Euclid, Ohio v. Ambler Realty Co., a famous case that hits close to home, the constitutionality of comprehensive zoning as an exercise of local police power was established. Zoning is the most powerful tool for municipalities to employ for land use planning, allowing them to shape defined districts within their boundaries (often in conformance with a master plan) and to build thriving communities where people want to live and work.

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