What is an overlay zone district designed to protect?

An overlay zone district is specifically designed to address and protect certain special features within a community, such as floodplains and watersheds. These areas are crucial for environmental sustainability and often require additional regulations or zoning measures to ensure their preservation and proper management.

By establishing an overlay district, planners and lawmakers can impose restrictions or guidelines that are tailored to protect these sensitive areas from development or activities that could lead to environmental degradation. This type of zoning is particularly important in managing water resources, mitigating flood risks, and preserving natural habitats.

The other options, while they may involve various aspects of zoning and land use planning, do not directly capture the primary purpose of an overlay zone district, which is to provide targeted protections for unique or vulnerable environmental features.