Wichita Falls Zoning Attorney

Find the right Zoning Planning & Land Use attorney in Wichita Falls, TX

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in Texas

Wichita Falls, Texas has laws which regulate 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 prevalent issues that homeowners might face, though it is not meant to turn a layperson into an expert.

Municipal governments which practice zoning normally follow a similar scheme: the town or city is divided up into "zones," or areas in which particular types of use are permitted. For instance, the downtown area might be zoned for commercial and office use, and perhaps for large, multi-unit apartment buildings. The surrounding areas will normally be zoned for residential and small-scale commercial use, and the outskirts zoned for manufacturing and other heavy industry.

Zoning serves various different purposes - but it its major 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 just convert his property into a steel mill, your property's value as a residential lot would decrease considerably.

Zoning laws don't exist just to protect residential use - it also protects persons who engage in other types of use of land, by making sure that they are able to do their business, without bothering neighboring landowners, and thereby preventing legal disputes.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Wichita Falls, Texas

Suppose you find that some condition on your land is in violation of Wichita Falls, Texas's zoning laws. In cases like this, you have quite a few avenues.

It should be clear, however, that the ideal solution is to just fix any condition on your property which is in violation of a local zoning law. If the violation is not significant, and correcting it won't considerably interfere with your use of your property, this is likely the ideal course of action.

What if, however, you've invested a substantial amount of time and money into making an improvement on your property, only to find that it breaks your local zoning laws in some minor way? In this case, you can apply for a variance. This is typically 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 Wichita Falls, Texas's zoning laws, a variance will typically be granted.

You are also protected if your land is currently in complete compliance with local zoning regulations, but the area where your land sits is re-zoned, and your property is suddenly not in compliance with the new zoning regulations. Usually, these new regulations cannot be utilized to force you to change existing conditions on your property. No laws can be applied retroactively, under the U.S. Constitution. Of course, if you make any improvements on your land after the law changes, you'll have to comply with the new law.

What Can A Wichita Falls, Texas Attorney Do?

If you are in the early stages of a major construction or remodeling project on your property, particularly if it is in a residential area (where zoning laws tend to be most restrictive), you are likely to confront one zoning law issue or another. Of course, having read this article, you should now be aware that you have rights when it comes to contesting a zoning law as applied to you. While such contests do not always come out on the side of the landowner, the guidance of a reliable Wichita Falls, Texas real estate attorney will greatly improve one's chances.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Wichita Falls

Wichita Falls is a city located in Wichita County, Texas. Per the 2010 census its reported population is 104,553. The city is known because it is home to the "World's Largest Skyscraper." Another popular site is the Sheppard Air Force Base.

Wichita is home to many attorneys who work in surrounding cities at mid to large size firms, as well as well-experienced attorneys who have established local law offices. Therefore, the legal force in Wichita Falls is well-experienced and offers services in a variety of legal areas. Attorneys who have the larger firm experience are excellent at handling multiple legal matters efficiently. Whereas the attorneys who have established their small law offices excel in providing clients with personalized legal services. Residents and local businesses have access to attorneys with both characteristics and are therefore very blessed.

Famous residents (past and present) include Greyson Chance, Don Cherry, Phyllis Coates, Paul Eggers, Eddie Hill, Khari Long, Bill McDonald, Llyod Ruby, Bernard Scott, Nathan Vasher and Dave Willis.

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Nicholas M.
Nicholas M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Golden, CO

Carl M.
Carl M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Seattle, WA

David A.
David A.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Walnut Creek, CA