What We Do:
Real Estate Services
LAND USE, ZONING & ENTITLEMENTS
Land use and zoning involves the regulation of the use and development of real estate. The most common form of land-use regulation is zoning. Zoning regulations and restrictions are used by municipalities to control and direct the development of property within their borders.
L. A. & Associates PR can help you negotiate through the hurdles of all the governmental regulations.
What are Zoning Regulations?
The basic purpose and function of zoning is to divide a municipality into residential, commercial, and industrial districts (or zones), that are for the most part separate from one another, with the use of property within each district being reasonably uniform. Within these three main types of districts there generally will be additional restrictions that can be quite detailed -- including specific requirements as to the type of buildings allowed, location of utility lines, restrictions on accessory buildings, building setbacks from the streets and other boundaries, size and height of buildings, number of rooms, floor space or area and cubic feet, and minimum cost of buildings. These restrictions may also cover frontage of lots; minimum lot area; front, rear, and side yards; off-street parking; the number of buildings on a lot; and the number of dwelling units in a certain area. Regulations may restrict areas to single-family homes or to multi-family dwellings or townhouses. In areas of historic or cultural significance, zoning regulations may require that those features be preserved.
Regulation of Development
Land-use regulation is not restricted to controlling existing buildings and uses; in large part, it is designed to guide future development. Municipalities commonly follow a planning process that ultimately results in a comprehensive or master plan, and in some states the creation of an official map for a municipality. The master plan is then put into effect by ordinances controlling zoning, regulation of subdivision developments, street plans, plans for public facilities, and building regulations. Future developers must plan their subdivisions in accordance with the official map or plan. In recent years, an increasing emphasis has been placed on regional and statewide planning. Recognizing that the actions of one municipality will strongly affect neighboring cities, occasionally in conflicting and contradictory ways, these planning initiatives allow the creation of a regional plan that offers one comprehensive vision and one set of regulations.
L. A. & Associates PR has extensive knowledge and experience in navigating all aspects of the zoning, land use, and historic preservation approval process within state laws and local regulations governing matters such as general plans, zoning, development permits, environmental impact reports, and development exactions and conditions. We also have strong knowledge of specialized land use laws affecting eminent domain, the coastal zone, wetlands, timber lands, solid and municipal waste and endangered species.
We also work closely with our clients to analyze applicable development requirements and to present the proposals in meetings and public hearings. Our extensive contacts with local government officials and community and civic groups augment our representation, helping us obtain numerous approvals on behalf of our clients. Some of our services might include obtaining approvals for:
- Major rezonings
- Special exceptions
- Special permits
- Subdivisions
- Historic preservation approvals
- zoning text amendments
- Building permits and certificates of occupancy
- Legislation
In addition to counseling, we appear before state and local agencies on a variety of matters.
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