081 - Zoning Fundamentals: Setbacks, Easements, FAR and Variances

Zoning controls what you build, how tall, and how close to the property line before you draw a single line. This episode breaks down every zoning term candidates confuse.

We cover setbacks, encroachment, easements, right-of-way, and how to figure out your actual buildable area. Then we get into the density controls: floor area ratio, lot coverage, impervious surface, and building height limits. You'll see how the same FAR produces three completely different buildings on the same lot.

The second half covers what happens when the rules don't work: zoning variances (and what does NOT qualify as hardship), conditional use permits, nonconforming uses, planned unit developments, and restrictive covenants. By the end, you'll know which constraints are public rules and which are private restrictions.

📝 Key topics covered:

Setbacks, building line, encroachment, and how to read a plat

Easement vs right-of-way and how they shrink your buildable area

Floor area ratio (FAR) and how the same number creates different buildings

Lot coverage vs FAR and impervious surface requirements

Zoning variance hardship rules and what does not qualify

Conditional use permits, nonconforming use, and restrictive covenants

⏱️ Chapters:

(0:00) Zoning Before You Design