What does incentive zoning promote by allowing relaxed restrictions on developments?

Incentive zoning promotes the inclusion of desirable public features and amenities by providing developers with relaxed restrictions in exchange for adding elements that benefit the community. This approach encourages developers to integrate features such as parks, affordable housing, or public art into their projects, making developments more attractive and beneficial to the public. By offering incentives, such as increased density or reduced height limitations, local governments can achieve social objectives that might be challenging to enforce through traditional zoning regulations alone.

This practice reflects a balance between private development goals and public needs, emphasizing community improvement over strict regulations. While the other concepts, like economic efficiency or uniform building heights, may be relevant to urban planning discussions, they do not capture the primary focus of incentive zoning, which centers on enhancing public amenities and features that contribute positively to the urban environment.