New Rochelle Zoning Attorney

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Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in New York

In New Rochelle, New York, there are laws which determine what can and can't be done on certain parcels of land. These laws get pretty involved sometimes, and aren't always extremely accessible to laypersons. This article should serve as a good overview of these laws.

Localities usually divide their jurisdictions into segments, referred to as "zones," on which particular types of use are permitted. For instance, one area of a town might be zoned for residential use, a nearby one for commercial use, and areas on the outskirts zoned for industrial use. This practice is called "zoning."

Local governments have numerous different reasons for enacting zoning laws, ranging from ensuring that residential areas are peaceful and quiet, to safeguarding property values. For instance, 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 just seek to ensure that such activities are done in a way that they don't conflict with the rights of adjacent landowners to use and enjoy their property in peace.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in New Rochelle, New York

You have quite a few options if you find that a planned or prevailing use of your property breaks New Rochelle, New York's zoning regulations.

Initially, and perhaps most evidently, you can correct the violation. If the violation is comparatively minor, and correcting it would not cost you much or be a considerable burden, this might be the best way to go.

However, it isn't always practical or affordable to correct a minor violation of a zoning law. For instance, suppose you have just spent a large amount of money and effort remodeling a house to turn it into your dream home. You thought you were in total compliance with local zoning laws when you did this, but find out that there is some small, technical violation of New Rochelle, New York's zoning laws. In these cases, you have recourse in the form of a variance. You are entitled to petition the local zoning board to grant you a variance, which is an official decision not to apply a certain provision of a zoning law to a single violation. These aren't always granted, but typically have to be granted if the violation doesn't interfere with anyone else's use of their property, and doesn't thwart the purposes of local zoning laws.

Additionally, zoning ordinances cannot be applied against you retroactively. For instance, 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 reside 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.

What Can A New Rochelle, New York Attorney Do?

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 disagreement will be markedly improved if you hire an accomplished New Rochelle, New York real estate attorney to help.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in New Rochelle

Named by Money Magazine as one of their Top 100 Best Places to live in the United States, New Rochelle, New York has it all. The city, which is just a half hour train ride from the famous Grand Central Station is a New York gem to be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. New Rochelle was first settled in the 1700's and it is a city that prides itself on its ethnic and religious diversity. New Rochelle was also the suburban neighborhood featured in the cult classic, Dick Van Dyke show. With views of the Long Island Sound from parts of the city, New Rochelle is home to just under 80,000 residents. With its close proximity to big city New York, New Rochelle has an abundance of fabulous lawyers to serve their local clients in issues ranging from family law to estate planning. New Rochelle lawyers are some of the best and brightest in their business. In addition to lawyers, New Rochelle also has many other professionals that add to the appeal of the city. On the cultural side, New Rochelle has lots of parks and museums for its residents to enjoy. No wonder New Rochelle is considered one of the best places to raise children. Not surprisingly, New Rochelle also has a nationally recognized public school system. New Rochelle has the nickname, "Home Town" because of the large number of single-family residential developments throughout the picturesque city.

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