A property is listed for sale in an area where the comprehensive plan designates future commercial use, but the current zoning is residential. A buyer wants to purchase the property and open a retail store immediately. What should the buyer's agent advise?
Correct Answer
C) The buyer must obtain a rezoning or zoning change before operating a commercial business, because the current zoning controls permitted use
Current zoning, not the comprehensive plan, determines what uses are permitted on a property. While the comprehensive plan indicates the community's long-range vision, the buyer must obtain a rezoning or zoning amendment before operating a commercial business in a residentially zoned area.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Deep Analysis of This Land Use Controls Regulations Question
Background Knowledge for Land Use Controls Regulations
Real World Application in Land Use Controls Regulations
Common Mistakes to Avoid on Land Use Controls Regulations Questions
Related Topics & Key Terms
Key Terms:
Related Concepts
Restrictive covenants, also known as CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions), are private agreements written into deeds or HOA documents that limit how property can be used. They are enforced by property owners, not the government.
Setback requirements are zoning regulations that specify the minimum distance a building or structure must be set back from property lines, streets, or other boundaries. They ensure adequate light, air, and space between structures.
Spot zoning is an illegal or improper rezoning of a small parcel of land that is inconsistent with the surrounding zoning and the comprehensive plan. It benefits an individual owner rather than the community as a whole.
More Land Use Controls Regulations Questions
The 'innocent landowner' defense under CERCLA requires:
A buyer purchases a home in a subdivision whose CC&Rs, recorded in 1975, limit each lot to single-family residential use. The buyer begins operating an auto body repair business out of the garage, with customer vehicles parked on the lot and a spray booth in the driveway. The CC&Rs say nothing about home-based businesses. Can the HOA stop the business?
Permission to depart from a requirement of the zoning ordinance for a single parcel is obtained through a:
Zoning ordinance compliance is monitored through:
The main difference between private and public land controls is:
- → A government plan guiding long-term physical development is:
- → A developer plans to build a new condominium complex. The developer must create and record certain governing documents before selling any units. What document is the foundation of the condominium's governance structure?
- → A homeowner in an HOA community wants to install solar panels on her roof. The CC&Rs do not address solar panels. The HOA's architectural review board denies the request, citing aesthetic concerns. In many jurisdictions, how do solar access laws affect this dispute?
- → In a planned community, what is the primary role of the homeowners' association (HOA)?
- → What does the term 'covenants, conditions, and restrictions' (CC&Rs) refer to in real estate?
- → When a zoning ordinance and a deed restriction both apply to the same property but impose different standards, which standard controls?
- → What does it mean when a deed restriction is said to 'run with the land'?
- → A real estate agent is explaining deed restrictions to a buyer. All of the following are common types of deed restrictions found in residential subdivisions EXCEPT.
- → A developer creates a 200-lot subdivision and records a declaration of CC&Rs before selling any lots. The CC&Rs include architectural review requirements, landscaping standards, and HOA membership obligations. When a buyer purchases Lot 45, how is the buyer bound by the CC&Rs?
- → A buyer's agent is reviewing the CC&Rs for a subdivision. All of the following provisions are typically found in CC&Rs EXCEPT.
People Also Study
Buyer Representation Agreement
8% of exam
Property Ownership
10% of exam
Land Use Controls and Regulations
8% of exam
Valuation and Market Analysis
10% of exam
Related Articles
Property Landing Page — 2026 U.S. Agent Guide: Setup, Use Cases & Pro Tips
Learn how Property Landing Page works and how U.S. real estate agents use it in 2026. Includes setup steps, practical examples, and best-practice tips.
Home Value Landing Page — 2026 U.S. Agent Guide: Setup, Use Cases & Pro Tips
Learn how Home Value Landing Page works and how U.S. real estate agents use it in 2026. Includes setup steps, practical examples, and best-practice tips.
How to Review Real Estate Zoning Questions Without Treating Every Land Rule the Same
A topic that feels clear in notes can still fail in practice if recall has not caught up with recognition. If you are searching for review real estate...
Previous Question
A developer submits a preliminary plat to the planning commission showing a proposed 80-lot residential subdivision. The commission requires changes to road widths and stormwater drainage before approving the final plat. What is the purpose of the plat approval process?
Next Question
An environmental assessment reveals that a proposed housing development would destroy a wetland that serves as a habitat for an endangered species. Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), what restriction might apply to the development?