In the United States local planning in the form of zoning began with the 1916 NY city zoning law, but it was not until the Great Depression of the 1930s that the federal government intervened in matters of housing and land use.

Although zoning had advantages it also leads to certain problems. It increased routine travel thereby contributing to traffic congestion. Some zoning codes provoked disputes such as single residence versus lower-income households. The planning of special economic zones (SEZ) is one type of exclusive spatial planning that has created serious social turmoil in many developing countries.