Land Use, Zoning and Planning Lawyers in Kent, Washington
Kent, Washington has a fairly large number of laws that dictate how particular plots of real estate can and cannot be used, and what can and can't be built on them, and these laws aren't always easy to follow. This article won't make you an authority on the subject, but should introduce you to some of the most important concepts in zoning law.
"Zoning" refers to a set of laws and regulations which state what use can be made of land in different parts of a city or county. Generally, localities are divided up into "zones," which are designated for certain categories of use, such as single-family residence, business, manufacturing, etc.
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
While zoning laws appear to be geared just toward protecting residents, they also protect industry, by ensuring that they are free to conduct their business without getting caught up in the many legal disputes that would be inevitable if they were closer to a residential area.
What if My Property Violates Kent, Washington's Zoning Laws?
If a condition on your property violates the local zoning laws of Kent, Washington, there are a few different solutions.
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.
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 Kent, Washington'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 Kent, Washington Attorney Help?
If you find yourself facing zoning or other land use issues, it's important to have good legal advice. A good Kent, Washington 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 144 Real Estate, Housing & Property Law cases posted in Kent
Cases Posted to LegalMatch listed by ZIP Code:Zoning Planning & Land Use Attorneys in the Largest WA Cities
Life in Kent
Kent is located in King County, Washington. It is a surrounding suburb of Seattle. Per the 2010 census, Kent is home to 92,411 people.Top employers include REI, Oberto Sausage, Boeing, Coho Distributing, Sysco, Alaska Airlines and Starbucks Coffee. Other employers include small law offices and boutique law firms that employ many competent attorneys and support staff. Such entities easily tend to the legal needs of residents.
The city is well-recognized as the popular host for such events as the Cantebury Faire, Kent Cornucopia Days, Kent Farmers Market, ShoWare Center, and Kent Saturday Market.
Famous residents include Earl Anthony, Ernie Conwell, Jeff Jaeger, Brenda Raganot, Cam Weaver, and Kelly Bachand.
