The responsibility for passing and maintaining zoning regulations generally falls to the…

Federal government
State government
Local government
Courts

The State of Freedonia passes a law allowing its cities to decide how and where the residential, commercial and industrial facilities within their borders should operate. The town council of Utopia, a city in Freedonia, passes a regulation, stating that a certain section of the city is reserved for commercial property, such as stores and offices, and that storefronts may not display signs that are in any colors other than black and white. Assuming that the city has no specific authorization to pass any law other than the above zoning authorization, which of the following is correct?

Both city regulations are valid, because these are the kinds of decisions that cities should make for themselves
Only the first regulation is valid, because the state only gave Utopia authorization to zone areas, not to regulate the sign colors
Only the second regulation is valid, because residential property should also be allowed in the commercial zone, as residential property is less harmful to neighbors than commercial property
Neither regulation is valid

Utopia’s zoning laws divide the city into 3 zones: industrial, commercial and residential. Mike owns a house in a residential zone in Utopia. He wants to convert his house into a pretzel factory. Can he do so?

Yes
Yes; if Utopia uses a cumulative zoning system
Yes; if Utopia uses a mutually exclusive zoning system
No

Utopia’s zoning laws divide the city into 3 zones: industrial, commercial and residential. Mike owns a factory in an industrial zone in Utopia. He wants to convert his factory into a house. Can he do so?

Yes
Yes; if Utopia uses a cumulative zoning system
Yes; if Utopia uses a mutually exclusive zoning system
No

Grant owns an adult entertainment store in downtown New Paris. One day, the New Paris City council decides that they want to turn their downtown into a more family friendly area. So, they announce that henceforth, no new adult entertainment stores will be allowed to open in the downtown area. The law provides that existing stores will be allowed to stay in business, but that they may not expand their stores beyond their current physical dimensions. Grant wants to expand his store. He sues, saying that the zoning law amounts to a taking. Is he correct?

Yes; because New Paris is restricting his right to take advantage of the free marketplace
Yes; because businesses naturally expand if they are successful, and so Grant’s should also be allowed to do so
No; because forced phase outs are not considered takings
No; because the regulation allows Grant to stay in business; so it is not a taking

Old City, Massachusetts, has a zoning law that requires that every house maintain a front yard at least 10 feet wide and that grass be grown and maintained in this front yard. The purpose of this rule is to maintain the beauty of the city. Sneezer suffers from a severe allergy that is worst when he is around grass. He applies for a variance that would allow him to put artificial turf on his property instead of natural grass, so as to offset the seriousness of his allergy. Should the zoning board grant this variance?

Yes
No
Maybe