Oak Lawn Zoning Attorney

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

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in Illinois

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

Municipal governments which practice zoning normally 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 normally 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 constructed next to daycare centers, pig farms should not be constructed 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 don't exist just to protect residential use - it also protects persons who engage in other types of use of land, by making sure that they are able to do their business, without bothering neighboring landowners, and thereby avoiding legal disputes.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Oak Lawn, Illinois

If something on your property is in violation of an Oak Lawn, Illinois zoning law, the landowner has various options.

It should be clear, however, that the ideal solution is to simply fix any condition on your property which is in violation of a local zoning law. If the violation is not serious, and correcting it won't considerably interfere with your use of your property, this is probably the best course of action.

Sometimes, however, a landowner wants to make improvements on their property which might constitute a slight violation of Oak Lawn, Illinois's zoning laws. In this case, the owner can apply for a variance - an official agreement from the local government to not enforce a particular zoning regulation. Usually, variances are granted when the violation is quite minor, and, enforcing the letter of the zoning law would not do much to advance its broader purpose.

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. Usually, 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.

What Can A Oak Lawn, Illinois Attorney Do?

If you suddenly become involved in a zoning dispute with your local government, it's imperative to seek competent legal representation. The counsel of an efficient Oak Lawn, Illinois real estate attorney can make it much easier for you to act within the law to use your own property as you wish, or at least be as free as possible to make improvements to your land.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Oak Lawn

Oak Lawn, IL is a village in Cook County. Its population is approximately 55,000 as of the 2000 Census.

Being in Cook County, Oak Lawn is generally considered to be a suburb of Chicago. Residents of Oak Lawn are particularly proud of their city's park system, which is composed of over 300 acres of open green space, parks, and recreational facilities, such as basketball and tennis courts, as well as baseball and soccer fields.

The downtown area of Oak Lawn, Illinois went nearly a decade without significant new construction. However, in recent years, it has undergone a major redevelopment, with the intent of revitalizing the area, and creating jobs. New condominium developments, office space, as well as many new spaces for retailers and restaurants were all added, significantly revitalizing the area.

This seems to have been effective, as the percentage of people living below the poverty line in Oak Lawn, Illinois is far lower than the national average, which is about 20%. By contrast, only 5% of the population of Oak Lawn lives below the poverty line.

There are many lawyers in and around Oak Law, Illinois who can help you with virtually any legal problem you might have. Oak Lawn, Illinois attorneys are always ready to help.

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