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My city and country doesn't have zoning for smaller projects, but it is harder to get business licenses for certain activities if it isn't already happening there. For example, it's going to be much harder to open a bar in a quiet residential area than it would be in the city centre in a street full of other bars. But why would you want to do that from a business perspective? You want these places to have good access, parking, and other retail businesses nearby ("oh maybe I'll grab a beer after the groceries") which residential areas often do not have. Same for industries too, there are certain needs which you are going to get much easier being in an industrial area where there are similar businesses nearby. In the city center almost all residential buildings have commercial units <100m2 on the ground floor, outside of the "core" of the city they are usually occupied by independent niche retail businesses. If you want to get an alcohol license you require permission of the building owners, but other than that everything is fair game. A while ago I bought a newly built apartment, and then in the commercial units opened: a nail salon, Italian bar / restaurant, travel agency and a sales office for a plumbing company. In suburbs there's usually a small shopping center, which has a supermarket and a number of small commercial units all in one building. 3 minutes drive from where I live now the shopping centre has a vet, post office, butcher, coffee shop, bar, bakery, restaurant, and then a playground and skate park for kids. |