There are still rules in place, indeed, just not for zoning. So I don't see how getting rid of zoning rules there suddenly gives those areas any more power to

There are still rules in place, indeed, just not for zoning. So I don't see how getting rid of zoning rules there suddenly gives those areas any more power to sign sovereign treaties than it would to any other area in the US that decided to have lax zoning rules. It's not really that complicated of a concept that you can deregulate one specific thing, but keep all regulations outside of that in place.