What does "intensification" in land use refer to?

Intensification in land use refers to a change in the intensity of use within the same land use classification, which can involve increasing the density of development or the scale of activity on a particular piece of land without changing its designated use category. For example, this might include building larger structures, adding more housing units, or maximizing the usage of resources on that land. Intensification is often encouraged in urban areas to promote sustainable development, such as using existing infrastructure more efficiently and reducing urban sprawl.

In contrast, dividing land into smaller lots typically pertains to subdivision processes that might not directly relate to intensification but rather to the distribution of land ownership. The purchase of adjacent lots to create a larger lot might aim to consolidate land for a specific purpose but doesn't inherently change the intensity of use per the existing land use classification. Lastly, increasing the maximum allowable occupants pertains to regulation but does not specifically define what is meant by intensification, which focuses more on the overall change in use intensity rather than just permissible numbers of occupants.