Land Use, Zoning and Planning Lawyers in Arlington, Virginia
Arlington, Virginia 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.
There are many different reasons that cities might engage in zoning - but it is usually designed around making cities more livable, by preventing conflicting uses from clashing with one another. After all, few people would want to live in a house next to a vacant lot, if there is a chance that somebody could decide to build a pig farm next door. The security provided by zoning laws helps preserve property values
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 Arlington, Virginia's Zoning Laws?
Suppose you find that some condition on your land is in violation of Arlington, Virginia's zoning laws. In cases like this, you have quite a few options.
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.
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 Arlington, Virginia's zoning laws to the letter would not, in this case, advance their purposes.
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 Arlington, Virginia Attorney Help?
If you want to make improvements to your property, apply for a variance, or contest a zoning regulation as being applied to you retroactively, you have a right to do so, including some constitutional protections. However, your chances of prevailing in a zoning dispute will be markedly improved if you hire an experienced Arlington, Virginia real estate attorney to help.
There are 232 Real Estate, Housing & Property Law cases posted in Arlington
Cases Posted to LegalMatch listed by ZIP Code:Zoning Planning & Land Use Attorneys in the Largest VA Cities
Life in Arlington
Arlington is located in Arlington County, Virginia. It is located south of the Potomac River, across from Washington D.C. Per the 2010 census, Arlington's population had reached 207,627 people.Being so near Washington D.C., sites such as the Pentagon, the Department of Defense, and the White House are not too far away. Other landmarks in Arlington include the Arlington National Cemetery, the United States Air Force Memorial and the marine Corps War Memorial.
Top employers include the Virginia Hospital Center, US Airways, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, SRA International, SAIC, CACI, Boeing, Towers Watson, and Jacobs. Although the legal industry is not included, Washington D.C. is filled with many top-notch law firms that train attorneys from top law schools. Further, in Arlington itself, there are many small firms and law offices to tend to the legal needs of residents who do not want to travel to D.C.
All in all, Arlington offers a quaint atmosphere with a location central to the "big city attractions and advantages."
