Land Use, Zoning and Planning Lawyers in Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi, Texas 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.
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."
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.
Zoning also serves the interests of industry, as well as residents. By ensuring that there are places where heavy industry can take place, well-planned zoning regulations will ensure that industrialists are free to practice their trade, and that residents will not be disturbed by those activities, which makes industry more efficient by helping it avoid costly nuisance lawsuits.
What if My Property Violates Corpus Christi, Texas's Zoning Laws?
If a condition on your property violates the local zoning laws of Corpus Christi, Texas, there are a few different solutions.
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.
However, it isn't always practical or affordable to correct a minor violation of a zoning law. For example, 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 Corpus Christi, Texas'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 particular provision of a zoning law to a single violation. These aren't always granted, but generally 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.
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 Corpus Christi, Texas Attorney Help?
If you suddenly become involved in a zoning dispute with your local government, it's essential to seek competent legal representation. The counsel of an experienced Corpus Christi, Texas real estate attorney can make it much easier for you to act within the law to use your own property as you wish, or at least be as free as possible to make improvements to your land.
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Life in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi rests on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico in South Texas. As the seat of Nueces County, Corpus Christi is home to the county offices and courts. The Nueces County Courthouse is home to most county trials but also houses the Texas Thirteenth Court of Appeals and Corpus Christi Municipal Court. Nueces County and the United States Government employ the most employees in Corpus Christi since it's the county seat and there are two large military instillations: the Corpus Christi Army Depot and the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi. These major military operations also employ over 6,000 civilians. The Port of Corpus Christi is the United States' 6th largest port along the Gulf. Agricultural products and petrochemicals drive the Corpus Christi economy and are the main goods exported from the port.
The City of Corpus Christi is not all commerce. There are a number of outstanding institutions like renown Texas A&M University within city limits. Our Lady of Corpus Christi and Del Mar College are also located in town. Notable locals include the inventor of Liquid Paper Bette Nesmith Graham, NASCAR drivers Bobby and Terry Labonte, The Reverend Horton Heat, and Lou Diamond Phillips. If that's not enough proof that Corpus Christi is a great city, check out the local wildlife. Corpus Christi is home to a busy fishing business and marine recreation. The bay's high winds offer excellent kite boarding and wind surfing conditions.
