Definition of Residential, Residential Buildings, Residential Housing.

A residential area is a type of land use where the predominant use is housing. In areas that are zoned residential, buildings may include single family housing, multiple family housing such as (apartments, duplexes, townhomes (or similar configurations), condominiums) or mobile homes. Zoning for residential use may permit some services or work opportunities or may totally exclude business and industry.

It may permit high density land use or only permit low density uses. Residential zoning usually includes a smaller FAR (floor to area ratio) than business, commercial or industrial/manufacturing zoning.

In certain situations residential areas may consist of quite large tracts of land which have no services whatsoever requiring a trip to town in order to fulfill basic needs. Because of the large distances involved most of these numerous trips involve using a motor vehicle.

In the case of a land development the pattern of development is usually set forth in the restrictive covenants contained in the deeds to the properties in the development, but may also result from or be reinforced by zoning. Restrictive covenants are not easily changed as the agreement of all property owners (many of whom may not live in the area) may need to be obtained to effect a change.

Land use is the activity for which land is used.

Great villages, cities, towns, boroughs, townships and counties are all governed by a set of designations assigned to particular parcels of land. Each designation, known as a parcel’s zoning, comes with a list of approved uses that can legally operate on the zoned parcel. These are found in a government’s ordinances or zoning regulations.