Land Use, Zoning and Planning Lawyers in Bend, Oregon
Bend, Oregon 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 Bend, Oregon's Zoning Laws?
Zoning laws are often quite extensive and meticulous, and it's very possible that your property in Bend, Oregon contains some minor zoning violation that you don't know about. If this happens to you, you have significant legal protections.
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.
What if, however, you've invested a significant amount of time and money into making an improvement on your property, only to find that it violates your local zoning laws in some minor way? In this case, you can apply for a variance. This is essentially an exception to the zoning rules. If declining to enforce these rules would not harm anyone, and would not do much to advance the purpose of Bend, Oregon's zoning laws, a variance will usually be granted.
Further, if you have been living on your property for a long time, and made improvements on it that complied with the zoning laws in effect at the time, a new zoning law that would be violated by your current use of your property, the new law cannot be enforced against you. The U.S. Constitution bars the passage of "ex post facto," or retroactive, laws. Once the laws take effect, however, you'll have to comply with the new zoning laws with respect to any new improvements you want to make on your property.
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How Can a Bend, Oregon 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 Bend, Oregon attorney.
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Life in Bend
Bend if located in Deschutes County, Oregon. It is the largest city in central Oregon. Per the 2010 census, it has a population of 76,639 people. Nearby sites include the Cascade Range, Deschutes River, and the Ponderosa Pine Forest.Bend is a great place to visit for those who love to mountain bike, fish, hike, camp, or go rock climbing. Basically it is a nature-lover's heaven. Popular attractions include the Vince Genna Stadium, the Central Oregon Indoor Sports Center, the Newberyy National Volcanic Monument, Tower Theatre, High Desert Museum, and Des Chutes Historical Museum.
Bend is also home to many attorneys. These attorneys have been trained by large firms or successful solo-practitioners. Either way, Bend attorneys focus on providing residents and local businesses with excellent legal services.
Overall, Bend is a peaceful place to live and a wonderful place to visit.
