Land Use & Zoning

Missouri uses a 'Dillon's Rule' for municipal powers, which means:

AMissouri cities have unlimited power to zone as they wish

BCities and counties only have powers expressly granted by the state legislature or necessarily implied✓ Correct

CFederal law overrides all Missouri land use regulations

DAll zoning decisions must be approved by the Governor

Explanation

Dillon's Rule holds that local governments only have powers expressly granted by the state legislature or those necessarily implied from granted powers. Missouri is traditionally a Dillon's Rule state, limiting local government authority.

People Also Study

Key Terms to Know

Zoning

Local government regulations that control land use by dividing areas into zones specifying permitted uses, building sizes, and densities.

Variance

Official permission to use land in a way that does not conform to the applicable zoning ordinance, granted by a zoning board when strict enforcement would cause undue hardship.

Eminent Domain

The power of government to take private property for public use, with the requirement to pay the owner just compensation.

Transfer Tax

A tax imposed by state or local governments when real property ownership is transferred, typically based on the sale price.