Glenview Zoning Attorney

Find the right Zoning Planning & Land Use attorney in Glenview, IL

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in Illinois

The laws governing how land can and cannot be used in Glenview, Illinois are fairly difficult, and can be confusing to laypersons. This should provide a basic overview.

Municipal governments which practice zoning usually follow a similar scheme: the town or city is divided up into "zones," or areas in which particular types of use are permitted. For example, the downtown area might be zoned for commercial and office use, and perhaps for large, multi-unit apartment buildings. The surrounding areas will usually be zoned for residential and small-scale commercial use, and the outskirts zoned for manufacturing and other heavy industry.

There are a lot of rationales and purposes for zoning laws. In general, they're based in common sense: chemical plants shouldn't be created next to daycare centers, pig farms should not be created in the middle of a residential neighborhood, and other simple principles similar to that. Zoning laws, by keeping conflicting land uses separate, make life easier for all parties, ensuring that property values will be preserved, and that necessary industries can be conducted where they will not bother anyone.

Zoning laws typically acknowledge the necessities of things like factories, sewage treatment plants, and stockyards, but recognize that such activities shouldn't be conducted in residential areas.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Glenview, Illinois

You have quite a few options if you find that a planned or current use of your property violates Glenview, Illinois's zoning regulations.

It should be obvious that the first option you should consider is to correct the violation. If doing this wouldn't cost you very much, or pose a massive inconvenience, you should obviously do this.

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 normally be granted if the violation doesn't harm anyone, and enforcing Glenview, Illinois's zoning laws to the letter would not, in this case, advance their purposes.

You also have considerable protections if a zoning law changes, and you find that the land you've been living on for years is suddenly in violation of the new law. In general, zoning laws cannot apply to structures and uses which were built or commenced before the law was changed. Under the U.S. Constitution, it's not permissible for state or local governments to pass laws which have retroactive effect. You should know, however, that any future changes you make to your property will have to comply with the new zoning law.

What Can A Glenview, Illinois Attorney Do?

If you find yourself facing zoning or other land use issues, it's crucial to have good legal advice. A brilliant Glenview, Illinois 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.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Glenview

Glenview is a suburb north of downtown Chicago. It is home to over 45,000 people.

Some famous residents of Glenview include Arian Moayed, Betsy Randle, Brian Hansen, and Sam Witwer.

Popular sites in Glenveiw include the Glenview Park District, The Grove, Wagner Farm, Park Center, and Scram Memorial Chapel.

Being so near to Chicago, Glenview residents have the benefit of taking advantage of the strong legal force in Chicago. Chicago is home to many top law firms that train excellent attorneys to handle any and every legal matter.

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