Which zoning concept involves creating a district in the ordinance text but not mapping it to specific parcels?

• A. Floating Zones
• B. Overlay Zones
• C. District Zoning
• D. General Zoning

Answer: (A)

Floating zones are districts defined in the zoning ordinance but not attached to any specific parcels on the zoning map. This approach puts the zone in the rulebook first, giving planners flexibility to apply it later when a suitable project comes forward. A parcel is brought into the floating zone through a rezoning action or map amendment, at which point the property must meet the district’s standards. Because the zone “floats” until a property owner triggers the process, it’s not tied to particular parcels from the start.

This is different from overlay zones, which are mapped on top of existing parcels to add requirements in those locations. Traditional district zoning is directly mapped to parcels, and general zoning isn’t the term used to describe the text-not-mapped concept.