This publication summarizes the various land use management tools which New York State municipalities can use to help deal with issues of community character and change. It is a primer that briefly describes both the importance of planning to identify how a municipality wishes to develop, as well as the regulatory techniques available to help it realize its goals. It begins with a discussion of the comprehensive plan, continues with a survey of various zoning tools which can be used to regulate land use and development, and concludes with an explanation of other methods which can be used to manage a municipality’s land resources and the built environment.