Zoning Laws as Evidence of Negligence

The purpose of this comment is to present the idea that zoning laws should be construed as safety ordinances and that, as such, violations of them should be admissible as evidence of negligence in civil actions. A brief history of zoning and a discussion of the purposes of zoning presently recognized by the courts are followed by a consideration of recognized safety statutes and the evidentiary significance given them by the courts as related to modern zoning laws. Introduction Zoning Foundations and History Zoning—Its Purposes Violations of Safety Statutes and Ordinances in Comparison Conclusio