"Zoning is the supernatural law that decides what a building is allowed to be when it grows up."
We explain it in plain English. For everyone.
Zonely is the zoning ghost. Ask any zoning question in plain English.
(Full Zonely AI launches October 31st — for now, submit your question below)
Zonely is not a lawyer. Zonely is an AI. Always verify with your local planning department.
Copy-paste ordinances ready for any city council. Each one legal, tested, and slightly funny.
Any single-family home may be converted to a duplex (two units) by right, without a public hearing, variance, or special permission. One unit may be up to 1,200 sq ft. Both units must meet standard building codes.
"The single-family zoning bubble has burst. It's time to let duplexes happen."
Status: Legal in Minneapolis, legalized by Oregon state law, proposed in dozens of cities.
Does your city allow duplexes? Check the Atlas →
Any residential zone may permit a corner store (up to 2,500 sq ft) selling food, coffee, books, or similar goods, by right, provided it closes by 9pm and has no drivethrough.
"The corner store was the original third place. We killed it with parking minimums. Let's bring it back."
This is how walkable neighborhoods work. This is why people don't need cars.
The corner store in Moscow was denied this. That ghost still haunts.
Parking minimums are abolished for all uses within 1/2 mile of a transit stop. Surface parking lots must plant one tree per 10 spaces and cannot exceed 2 acres without a special review.
"A parking lot at 3am is a plaza that hasn't happened yet."
Parking minimums are the #1 killer of walkable neighborhoods, affordable housing, and common sense.
Every parking space costs roughly $25,000 to build. We require them anyway.
Any parcel of 5+ acres currently in agricultural use cannot be rezoned to residential unless it is within 1 mile of an existing sewer line and has no viable agricultural use remaining.
"Every acre of sprawl is a calorie that never got grown. We're protecting the future food supply."
Farmland protection is food security. It's also the most effective way to stop leapfrog development.
Seven generations forward. Think about it.
Converting an existing building (office to housing, retail to mixed-use, etc.) requires only a simple administrative review — not a public hearing — if the building is structurally sound.
"The most sustainable building is the one that already exists."
This is how dead malls become apartments. How empty offices become studios.
The process should take 30 days, not 18 months.
Any building vacant for 12+ months must register with the city. After 24 months, the city may offer a revival tax credit, expedite permitting, or partner with a community organization for temporary activation.
"Vacancy is not a private problem. It's a community problem that the private owner is having."
Cities including Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Detroit have vacancy registries.
GHOSTO's twist: add a community activation pathway, not just a penalty.
Real stories. Real rejections. Real ghosts.
A walkable, previously-a-food-store location on the downtown edge of Moscow, Idaho wanted to become a zero-waste grocery. The store would have served the walkable core of a city with a university nearby. It was denied.
Why? Insufficient parking for cars that don't exist. The city's parking minimums required more parking spaces than the store had room for, given that it was already a small storefront in a walkable location.
"The ghost of walkability wept. The corner store remained empty. Six months later, the space was still vacant. A year later, still vacant."
This is founding story #1 of GHOSTO. This is why we exist.
Moscow Planning & Zoning →
Click any parcel. See the three words of zoning code standing between your neighborhood and what it needs.
(Interactive Legalizer coming October 31st)
Share your story. We publish the best ones (with permission) to teach others and to show planners what their codes actually do to real people.
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