Land Use, Zoning and Planning Lawyers in Aurora, Illinois
The laws governing how land can and cannot be used in Aurora, Illinois are fairly complex, and can be confusing to laypersons. This should provide a basic overview.
Municipal governments which practice zoning typically 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 typically be zoned for residential and small-scale commercial use, and the outskirts zoned for manufacturing and other heavy industry.
There are many different reasons that cities might engage in zoning - but it is usually designed around making cities more livable, by preventing conflicting uses from clashing with one another. After all, few people would want to live in a house next to a vacant lot, if there is a chance that somebody could decide to build a pig farm next door. The security provided by zoning laws helps preserve property values
On the other hand, zoning laws recognize and attempt to accommodate the necessity of factories and other industrial activities. They simply seek to ensure that such activities are conducted in a way that they don't conflict with the rights of adjacent landowners to use and enjoy their property in peace.
What if My Property Violates Aurora, Illinois's Zoning Laws?
Suppose you find that some condition on your land is in violation of Aurora, Illinois's zoning laws. In cases like this, you have quite a few options.
The most obvious solution is to correct the problem, so your property is no longer in violation of local zoning laws. If the violation is minor, and correcting it would not be very costly, this is likely 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 Aurora, Illinois's zoning laws to the letter would not, in this case, advance their purposes.
Furthermore, zoning ordinances cannot be applied against you retroactively. For example, suppose you built a 3-story house on your property, and your property was zoned to allow 3-story houses to be built at the time of construction. And then, years later, the area you live in is re-zoned, to only allow 2-story houses. Can the local government force you to remove a whole level of your house? Of course not. Applying a law retroactively is unconstitutional. On the other hand, any future changes you want to make to your property will have to comply with the applicable zoning ordinance as it is currently written.
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How Can a Aurora, Illinois Attorney Help?
If you want to make improvements to your property, apply for a variance, or contest a zoning regulation as being applied to you retroactively, you have a right to do so, including some constitutional protections. However, your chances of prevailing in a zoning dispute will be markedly improved if you hire an experienced Aurora, Illinois real estate attorney to help.
There are 166 Real Estate, Housing & Property Law cases posted in Aurora
Cases Posted to LegalMatch listed by ZIP Code:Zoning Planning & Land Use Attorneys in the Largest IL Cities
Life in Aurora
Although Aurora, Illinois may not be very well-known, there is certainly a lot to do here. Aurora is the second most populated city in Illinois. It is a suburb located approximately 40 miles from Chicago. Many know Aurora as the "City of Lights" because it was one of the first U.S. cities to implement an all-electric street lighting system.Aurora also hosts many attractions perfect for families and tourists. People can enjoy a day at Blackberry Farm, the Aurora Historical Museum, Splash Country Waterpark, Hollywood Casino,and an exciting downtown filled with great boutiques and restaurants.
Aurora is also filled with many small law firms focusing on providing clients with excellent, personalized legal services. Firms and experienced attorneys in practically all areas of legal practice offer legal services to the citizens of Aurora. Therefore, no citizen's legal matter can remain unattended in Aurora, Illinois.
