Land Use, Zoning and Planning Lawyers in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma has laws which govern how individual parcels of land can be used, and how they cannot. These rules aren't always simple, and this article should serve as an introduction to some of the most common issues that homeowners might face, though it is not meant to turn a layperson into an expert.
"Zoning" refers to a set of laws and regulations which state what use can be made of land in different parts of a city or county. Generally, localities are divided up into "zones," which are designated for certain categories of use, such as single-family residence, business, manufacturing, etc.
Zoning serves several different purposes - but it its main one is to increase or preserve property values by ensuring that conflicting uses don't result in legal disputes. Obviously, if you bought a house in a residential neighborhood, and your neighbor could simply convert his property into a steel mill, your property's value as a residential lot would decrease significantly.
While zoning laws appear to be geared just toward protecting residents, they also protect industry, by ensuring that they are free to conduct their business without getting caught up in the many legal disputes that would be inevitable if they were closer to a residential area.
What if My Property Violates Tulsa, Oklahoma's Zoning Laws?
You have quite a few options if you find that a planned or current use of your property violates Tulsa, Oklahoma's zoning regulations.
First, and perhaps most obviously, you can correct the violation. If the violation is relatively minor, and correcting it would not cost you much or be a significant burden, this might be the best way to go.
Of course, simply fixing a zoning violation isn't always affordable or easy, and may interfere with your planned use of your property. For example, you might have just undertaken a significant remodeling of your home, and later found out that some small part of it technically doesn't conform to Tulsa, Oklahoma's zoning laws. If this happens to you, you can apply to your local zoning board for what's known as a "variance." This is simply a decree by the zoning board that the particular rule your property violates no longer applies. The Supreme Court has held that local zoning boards have to grant variances when the violation is very minor, and enforcing the ordinance would be unduly burdensome and not in the public interest.
You also have significant 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.
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How Can a Tulsa, Oklahoma Attorney Help?
If you are in the process of physically altering your property, you are almost certain to face some issues having to do with local zoning laws. If you find that zoning laws are making it very difficult to use your property as you see fit, you may have legal recourse, usually in the form of a variance. Of course, your chances of success in any zoning dispute will be immeasurably increased if you have the help of a qualified Tulsa, Oklahoma attorney.
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Life in Tulsa
Tulsa has been diversifying it's oil industry controlled economy. In doing so, Tulsa has become the second largest city in the State of Oklahoma and a major center for high tech, finance, aerospace, and telecommunications technology development and manufacturing. Tulsa acts as the most important manufacturing hub in Oklahoma and produces nearly 60% of the goods exported from Oklahoma. Financial institutions like BOK Financial Corporation are headquartered in Tulsa alongside business like QuikTrip, Dollar-Thrifty car rental, Hilti, and gas related companies like Sem Group, Synthroleum, and Excel Energy. Attesting to how well the city is doing, the housing trends show a 6% increase in rent last year. So what else does Tulsa have to offer?The University of Tulsa, Oral Roberts University, Rogers State University, and Tulsa Community College each accept students seeking higher educations. The University of Tulsa was ranked among the best doctoral universities in the United States by U.S. News & World Report and one of the top masters institutions by the Princeton Review. The Cancer Treatment Centers of America have their Southwest Regional cancer treatment facility in Tulsa which is located at the Southwest Regional Medical Center. It's one of the largest cancer treatment hospitals in the nation.
