Land Use, Zoning and Planning Lawyers in Framingham, Massachusetts
The laws that regulate how land can be used, and what structures can be built on individual pieces of land in Framingham, Massachusetts can sometimes be a bit complicated. This article will not make its reader an expert, but should serve as a good introduction to the subject.
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.
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 Framingham, Massachusetts's Zoning Laws?
If a condition on your property violates the local zoning laws of Framingham, Massachusetts, there are a few different solutions.
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 major 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 usually be granted if the violation doesn't harm anyone, and enforcing Framingham, Massachusetts'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 Framingham, Massachusetts Attorney Help?
If you find yourself facing zoning or other land use issues, it's important to have good legal advice. A good Framingham, Massachusetts 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 34 Real Estate, Housing & Property Law cases posted in Framingham
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Life in Framingham
Framingham is home to approximately 68,318 people. It is located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.The city is known for its beautiful parks. Popular ones include Bowditch Field, Butterworth Park, Winch Park, Callahan State Park, Danforth Park, Cushing Park and Cochituate State Park.
The city has three major business districts--"The Golden Triangle," Downtown/South Framingham and West Framingham. It has many small business and office complexes which significantly help support the city's economy. In these offie complexes, many attorneys have established their law offices. Therefore, residents need not travel far to have their legal needs taken care of.
All in all, Framingham offers residents a wonderful quality of life with a community-like spirit!
