Spot zoning
National Real Estate Exam glossary · Land Use Controls
Definition
The unlawful rezoning of a single parcel or small area in a manner inconsistent with the surrounding zoning and the comprehensive plan, typically for the benefit of one owner rather than the general welfare.
Spot zoning in plain English
Spot zoning is an illegal move where the government changes the zoning rules for just one small piece of land in a way that clashes with everything around it, usually to do a favor for a single owner. Zoning is supposed to follow a big-picture "comprehensive plan" that keeps a whole area consistent, so carving out one lucky lot for special treatment breaks that fairness. Picture a street of ordinary houses where suddenly one property gets permission to become a gas station, purely to help that owner cash in. Because it benefits one person instead of the general public and ignores the overall plan, courts can strike it down.
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