If a county designates land solely for business use, what is this process called?

The process of designating land for specific uses, such as business, is known as zoning. Zoning is a tool used by local governments to control and regulate land use within their jurisdictions. This involves dividing a locality into zones, each of which is designated for particular types of activities, such as residential, commercial, industrial, or agricultural purposes.

Zoning helps to ensure that land is used in a way that is consistent with a community's development goals and regulations, which can help minimize conflicts between different land uses. For instance, by zoning an area for business use, the local government can promote economic development while managing issues related to traffic, noise, and environmental impacts that can arise from commercial activities.

In contrast, land use planning refers to the broader process of evaluating and deciding how land will be used in a community, which encompasses zoning but is not limited to it. Urban development generally refers to the overall process of designing and constructing urban areas, which may include housing, infrastructure, and amenities but does not specifically address the legal designation of land for different uses. Land allocation is a more general term that may refer to the distribution of land among various uses but does not specifically encompass the regulatory framework provided by zoning laws.