😀
Real Property • Zoning
PROP#252
Legal Definition
A special use permit allows a landowner to obtain a tract of land for a use that doesn't fall directly under the permitted usage for that specifically zoned area; often required for hospitals, funeral homes, etc.
Plain English Explanation
The purpose of zoning laws is usually to try to create some sort of broad organization of resources for high-level planning. In the real world, special circumstances usually pop up which require special attention and, ultimately, a special use permit. For example, if an area of land zoned only for residential use grows in population to the point where it make sense to build a hospital, then the hospital can be built using a special use permit even though it is not a residential use.
