Land Use, Zoning and Planning Lawyers in Galveston, Texas
Galveston, 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."
Local governments have many different reasons for enacting zoning laws, ranging from ensuring that residential areas are peaceful and quiet, to protecting property values. For example, 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.
Zoning laws generally acknowledge the necessities of things like factories, sewage treatment plants, and stockyards, but recognize that such activities shouldn't be conducted in residential areas.
What if My Property Violates Galveston, Texas's Zoning Laws?
You have quite a few options if you find that a planned or current use of your property violates Galveston, Texas's zoning regulations.
It should be obvious that the first option you should consider is to correct the violation. If doing this wouldn't cost you very much, or pose a major inconvenience, you should obviously do this.
But what happens if you've invested a large amount of effort and money into improving your land, and you later discover that you've committed some relatively minor zoning violation? You are generally entitled to seek what is known as a "variance" in these cases. A variance is simply when your local government makes a small exception to the zoning rules to accommodate a small violation that would be difficult to fix. A variance will usually be granted if the violation doesn't harm anyone, and enforcing Galveston, Texas's zoning laws to the letter would not, in this case, advance their purposes.
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 Galveston, Texas Attorney Help?
If you find yourself facing zoning or other land use issues, it's important to have good legal advice. A good Galveston, Texas attorney will help you work within the law to ensure that you are as free as possible to make the use of your land that you want.
There are 53 Real Estate, Housing & Property Law cases posted in Galveston
Cases Posted to LegalMatch listed by ZIP Code:Zoning Planning & Land Use Attorneys in the Largest TX Cities
Life in Galveston
Galveston is a city in Texas located on the coast, Galveston Island to be exact. Per the 2010 census it has a population of 47,743 people.The economy thrives off of the health care, shipping and financial industries. However there are many small law offices and firms in Galveston as well. These entities train excellent attorneys to handle various legal matters.
Some sites to be seen in Galvestron are the Mood Gardens, Schlitterbahn Waterpark, Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum, the Lone Star Flight Museum, Galvestron Railroad Museum, The Strand, and Seawolf Park.
Some notable residents include William L. Moody Jr., John H. Murhy, Sam Maceo, and Douglas Corrigan.
All in all, although not one of the big cities in Texas, Galveston is a great place to visit and to call home.
