Midland Zoning Attorney

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

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in Texas

Midland, 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.

The purpose of zoning is to preserve property values, and make towns and cities more livable. For instance, without zoning laws, a company might be able to purchase a vacant lot next to your house and create a noisy, smelly, dirty factory on it.

On the other hand, zoning laws recognize and attempt to accommodate the necessity of factories and other industrial activities. They just seek to ensure that such activities are performed in a way that they don't conflict with the rights of adjacent landowners to use and enjoy their property in peace.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Midland, Texas

You have quite a few options if you find that a planned or prevailing use of your property breaks Midland, Texas's zoning regulations.

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.

However, it isn't always practical or affordable to correct a minor violation of a zoning law. For instance, 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 Midland, 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 certain provision of a zoning law to a single violation. These aren't always granted, but usually 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, if you have been residing 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 prevailing 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.

What Can A Midland, 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 Midland, Texas real estate attorney will greatly improve one's chances.

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Life in Midland

Midland is located in Midland County, Texas. It is located in Texas's Southern Plains region. Some of Midland falls into Marin County. As of the 2010 census, Midland has a population of 111,147 people.

Top employers that drive the economy include Warren Equipment Companies, the Midland Independent School District, the Midland Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, Dawson Geophysical, Midland College, Patterson Drilling UTI, ATT Wireless, and Key Energy Services. Midland is also home to many law offices and small firms that practice in various legal practices. Thus, residents and businesses of Midland can rest assure because any and every legal need of theirs can be easily handled by Midland's legal force.

Famous residents include Michael Arden, Kahty Baker, Cedric Benson, Raymond Benson, Barbara Bush, Jeb Bush, Jenna Bush, Mike Conaway, Leeon D. Davis, Don Evans, Kenn George, Tommy Franks, Spud Webb, Larry L. King, and Eileen Wilks.

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