A special-use permit authorizes land uses that are allowed and encouraged by the ordinance and declared harmonious with the applicable zoning district.
[1] Land use is governed by a set of regulations generally known as ordinances or municipal codes, which are authorized by the state's zoning enabling law.
Such discretion then may be attacked as ultra vires, and the special-use permit overturned as an unconstitutional violation of equal protection.
[2] An example of special-use-permit abuse may be found when a business or other organization is using U.S. Forest Service land for commercial use.
Special-use permits have also been issued for other purposes, such as in Alaska during the summer of 2015, when special fishing permits were issued to feed firefighters who had difficulty receiving supplies via land routes due to the forest fires that they were fighting in remote areas.