Introduction
Land is one of the vital natural resources on earth. It forms the basis on which all other human activities are done. Human beings use land for various activities including farming, establishment of buildings and infrastructure. Therefore, land is a necessity if any other activity needs to be done on earth. Similarly, land harbors mineral resources like gold, coal, fluorspar and others that are valuable. Traditionally, people used land for farming and construction of shelter. However, modernization has led to the construction of buildings and infrastructure that have threatened the ability of land to provide relevant resources to people (Thompson 2007). Land is slowly being depleted and thus calls for urgent steps to be taken to address this issue. This has led to the establishment of land planning and zoning policies that ensure land is properly used as outlined in this essay.
Land Planning
Land planning refers to deliberate actions by individuals or governments to ensure people use land in a controlled manner that is regulated by state policies. Land planning policies are enacted and passed by parliament or senate bodies responsible for national and regional planning. This is a deliberate action that seeks to ensure land is used in a productive way bearing in mind the interests of every citizen in a country. There are various forms of land planning policies including urban planning, design and regional designs that aim at ensuring the government regulates land use. Land use refers to the various ways through which land is put into productive forms. These uses include construction of houses and infrastructure, agriculture, industries, parks, play grounds and water and sewerage systems. Despite the provision of rights of land and property ownership by constitutions of many countries, there is the need for these uses to be regulated in order to ensure certain developmental aspects are achieved. Land use and planning are essential in all regions of a country for the following key reasons.
First, there is the need to have order in the manner in which buildings are constructed. The ever soaring human population necessitates the need to have more housing units being constructed to offer shelter to the populace (Kaiser, Gottschalk and Chapin 1995). They include sports centers, schools, hospitals, churches and recreational facilities. Consequently, when people decide to put up these structures they do not put into consideration the manner in which they set up these buildings. In fact, most people just construct their houses in manners that suit their interests. They eventually distort order of buildings and structures in a given area. However, the presence of land use and planning acts regulates the structures to be established by developers. Secondly, land use planning ensures accessibility to all sites in an area. Developers must follow the laid down procedures and plans of constructing buildings to ensure that all areas are connected well to the main roads (Chapin 1979). In addition, this ensures that there is smooth movement of people and traffic in and out of a given area since all areas become accessible. The need to plan land use ensures no structures are established along the paths of social infrastructure like roads, electricity, water and sewerage and telephone lines. This gives the government ample time to provide relevant services to the population in case of emergencies like fire outbreaks. Moreover, since modernization is catching up in all countries in the world, there is the need to plan on how people use land in order to give room for future developments. Government policies ensure that further developments are considered to enable the land to be flexible for future infrastructural improvements. When nations develop, their infrastructure and other systems of production advance to cater for the demands of the world market and competition (Levy 2009). For instance, a country that depends on traditional methods of production may not require airplanes for business purposes. However, this country must plan on how her citizens use land in order to allow the development of airports and airstrips in the future when her production will shift from traditional agricultural practices to modern high technology production. Therefore, it becomes inevitable to set a side land for construction of airports and state of the art transport systems.
Land Zoning
Every now and then, it becomes essential for governments to control buildings and activities that take place in an area for the interest of the population. Therefore, they ensure certain policies are set to control the construction of building in an area. The government may also give guidelines on the activities of a place and the manner in which they will be done (Fulton 1991). These state guidelines and interventions on land use are aimed at ensuring the land is zoned according to buildings and land use. This process is called land zoning. It is an essential state directive issued by national, regional or county bodies in charge of planning and land use. Land zoning is an essential aspect of planning that ensures citizens make appropriate use of the available land. The policies ensure several aspects are observed in the following ways. To start with, and zoning enables human beings to live in a healthy environment free from pollution. It distinguishes places where residential houses will be constructed. This means that the process defines areas where various types of buildings will be constructed. It shows where people should construct residential houses, warehouses, stores, industries, social amenities and recreational facilities (Roberts 2007). Residential houses of the same value and type (same design and construction materials) are set up in one area while commercial premises are constructed in another area. In addition, certain areas are usually set aside for the construction of government offices like police stations, training camps and learning institutions. Land zoning plays vital roles in the provision of services to the population. First, it ensures social amenities and facilities are established near residential areas for easy access by the population (Garran 2007). Secondly, it ensures residential areas are located far from industries, factories, warehouses, airports and mining centers for human safety. Moreover, land zoning enables the government to provide relevant electricity, water and sewerage services to the population. This process facilitates movement of goods and services from producers to consumers through middlemen without inconveniences.
Link between Land use Planning and Land Zoning
Land use planning is a guideline that outlines the developments and structures that should be set up in a given area. On the other hand, land zoning is a process that outlines which structures or buildings should be put up in an area. It clusters related activities that should be established in an area.
Conclusion
Land planning and zoning are key developmental factors that allow regions to develop while at the same time consider the interests of the population and future developments. Even though, these processes cause displacements and relocations, they are necessary since they guarantee the population better services from the government.
References
Chapin, F. S. (1979). The Theoretical Underpinnings of Land Use. Urban Land Use Planning, Urban and Chicago. University of Illinois Press, Illinois.
Fulton, W. (1991). Guide to California Planning: The Basic Tools, Part II: Zoning Point Arena. Solano Press Books, California.
Garran, N. (2007). Comparison of State and Territory Planning Systems in Australia, Australian Urban Land Use Planning. Sydney University Press, Sydney.
Kaiser, E. J., Gottschalk, D. R. and Chapin, F. S. (1995). The Land Planning Arena in Urban Land Use Planning. University of Illinois Press, Illinois.
Levy, J. M. (2009). The Tools of Land-Use Planning in Contemporary Urban Planning. Longman, New York.
Roberts, R. (2007). Land Use Planning and Development Regulation Law. Thomson West, Chicago.
Thompson, S. (2007). The History of Planning in Planning Australia. An Overview of Urban and Regional Planning. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.