Land Use, Zoning and Planning Lawyers in Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls, 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.
Municipal governments which practice zoning typically follow a similar scheme: the town or city is divided up into "zones," or areas in which particular types of use are permitted. For example, the downtown area might be zoned for commercial and office use, and perhaps for large, multi-unit apartment buildings. The surrounding areas will typically be zoned for residential and small-scale commercial use, and the outskirts zoned for manufacturing and other heavy industry.
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 laws don't exist just to protect residential use - it also protects people 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 avoiding legal disputes.
What if My Property Violates Wichita Falls, Texas's Zoning Laws?
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 options.
It should be clear, however, that the ideal solution is to simply fix any condition on your property which is in violation of a local zoning law. If the violation is not serious, and correcting it won't significantly interfere with your use of your property, this is probably the best course of action.
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 Wichita Falls, Texas's zoning laws, a variance will usually be granted.
You are also protected if your land is currently in full 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. Generally, these new regulations cannot be used 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.
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How Can a Wichita Falls, Texas Attorney Help?
If you are in the early stages of a major construction or remodeling project on your property, especially if it is in a residential area (where zoning laws tend to be most restrictive), you are likely to encounter 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 assistance of a good Wichita Falls, Texas real estate attorney will greatly improve one's chances.
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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.
