Abstract
The Japanese national zoning system (i.e. use permit schedule) under the Building Standard Law only consists of "as-of-right" confirmation uses and "Prohibited" uses, and is said to be loose but rigid, whereas in North America exists a flexible system called "Conditional Use Permit" or "special Use Permit", where plans for specified use are reviewed and judged according to predetermined criteria. Under an assumption that such systems will afford us with some suggestions to Japan, this study aims to investigate the situation and operation of the systems. Taking 17 cities across the U.S., through local hearings to officials on the duty and web-based investigations of codes and cases, general situations of conditional or special use permit systems, such as 1)types, 2)review procedure and body, 3)judgment process and decision criteria, 4)amounts and typical use of reviewing cases, 5)designation of use and zoning districts, are clarified and examined.
