Whether married, separated, or divorced, parents should strive to cooperate to identify a mutually acceptable guardian to take custody of their minor children in the event of their deaths. Where separated or divorced parents cannot agree, each parent must realize that the courts will favor the surviving parent but will consider the claim of an involved third party, especially one identified as the preferred custodian by the deceased parent. Zoning ordinances are created by the municipal governments of cities, townships, and boroughs. The ordinances regulate the use of land, declaring which areas are residential, commercial, or industrial. Special enterprise, agricultural, educational, or medical zones may exist in some municipalities.
Restrictive covenants are different.
Deeds written to convey property from one owner to another may include language restricting the use of the property. In planned residential developments, a lengthy set of restrictive covenants may be recorded. Usually these covenants are not actually listed in the deed to each lot but are recorded in the county Office of the Recorder of Deeds and are simply referenced in the deeds. A prospective buyer or his or her attorney must read and understand all zoning ordinances and recorded restrictions to fully understand the permitted uses of a property. In two recent Pennsylvania cases, homeowners were prohibited from parking commercial trucks at their homes.