Usually a city or county legislative body adopts zoning law, a planning commission reviews or recommends major changes, and planning staff or a zoning administrator applies the code to individual projects—but state law and the local charter can rearrange that chain.
The legislature writes the framework; the city or county code names the local decision maker for each kind of change or permit.
Each institution has a different verb. Writing a rule, funding it, applying it, administering a service, and reviewing a dispute are not the same power.
Defines local planning authority and statewide constraints, procedures, environmental review, housing duties, and judicial standards.
Adopts or amends zoning ordinances and plans when the charter and state law assign that authority.
Holds hearings, makes recommendations, or decides specified applications and appeals under the local code.
Reviews applications and applies adopted zoning standards to the decisions delegated by local law.
Review legal challenges under the applicable standard and procedure.
Local charters and zoning codes assign different decisions to councils, boards, commissions, hearing officers, administrators, and staff. Los Angeles and New York illustrate multi-stage public review; they are examples, not nationwide procedure.
