Land Use, Zoning and Planning Lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The laws governing how land can and cannot be used in Fort Lauderdale, Florida are fairly complex, and can be confusing to laypersons. This should provide a basic overview.
Local governments will usually divide the city or town into sections, called "zones," each of which is designated for a particular use, such as residential homes, commercial businesses, agriculture, manufacturing, etc. This process is known as "zoning."
Local governments have many different reasons for enacting zoning laws, ranging from ensuring that residential areas are peaceful and quiet, to protecting property values. For example, most people wouldn't buy a home in a neighborhood where they knew it was possible for a neighbor to turn their house into a factory.
While zoning laws appear to be geared just toward protecting residents, they also protect industry, by ensuring that they are free to conduct their business without getting caught up in the many legal disputes that would be inevitable if they were closer to a residential area.
What if My Property Violates Fort Lauderdale, Florida's Zoning Laws?
You have quite a few options if you find that a planned or current use of your property violates Fort Lauderdale, Florida's zoning regulations.
First, and perhaps most obviously, you can correct the violation. If the violation is relatively minor, and correcting it would not cost you much or be a significant burden, this might be the best way to go.
But what happens if you've invested a large amount of effort and money into improving your land, and you later discover that you've committed some relatively minor zoning violation? You are generally entitled to seek what is known as a "variance" in these cases. A variance is simply when your local government makes a small exception to the zoning rules to accommodate a small violation that would be difficult to fix. A variance will usually be granted if the violation doesn't harm anyone, and enforcing Fort Lauderdale, Florida's zoning laws to the letter would not, in this case, advance their purposes.
You are also protected if your land is currently in full compliance with local zoning regulations, but the area where your land sits is re-zoned, and your property is suddenly not in compliance with the new zoning regulations. Generally, these new regulations cannot be used to force you to change existing conditions on your property. No laws can be applied retroactively, under the U.S. Constitution. Of course, if you make any improvements on your land after the law changes, you'll have to comply with the new law.
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How Can a Fort Lauderdale, Florida Attorney Help?
If you find yourself facing zoning or other land use issues, it's important to have good legal advice. A good Fort Lauderdale, Florida attorney will help you work within the law to ensure that you are as free as possible to make the use of your land that you want.
There are 1034 Real Estate, Housing & Property Law cases posted in Fort Lauderdale
Cases Posted to LegalMatch listed by ZIP Code:Zoning Planning & Land Use Attorneys in the Largest FL Cities
Life in Fort Lauderdale
There are many exciting things to do in Fort Lauderdale. For starts, visitors can enjoy a day at the Lady Helen Fishing Charters, the Antique Car Museum, the Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, the Beachfront, Stranahan House, or the Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. For some great shopping and fine dining, Las Olas Boulevard is the place to go!Fort Lauderdale has an approximate population of 165,521 people. The area is commonly known as it is a South Florida metropolitan area. Another reason for its popularity is its nickname--"the Venice of America." Fort Lauderdale gets its nickname because the city is filled with many intricate canal systems. This is so to compliment the major yatching center of the city, with 42,000 resident yachts and 100 marinas and boatyards.
There are many great law firms located in Fort Lauderdale. Primarily, there are many small to mid-size law firms located in the area. These firms house excellent attorneys who provide their clients with efficient and personalized legal services. For clients who require large, multinational law firm services, Miami is very near! Larger firms in Miami can serve those specific needs. All in all, Fort Lauderdale proves that there is more to Florida than Disney World and South Beach!
