Franklin Zoning Attorney

Find the right Zoning Planning & Land Use attorney in Franklin, WI

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in Wisconsin

Franklin, Wisconsin 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 critical 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 a lot of rationales and purposes for zoning laws. In general, they're based in common sense: chemical plants shouldn't be built next to daycare centers, pig farms should not be built in the middle of a residential neighborhood, and other simple principles similar to that. Zoning laws, by keeping conflicting land uses separate, make life easier for all parties, ensuring that property values will be preserved, and that necessary industries can be conducted where they will not bother anyone.

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 preventing legal disputes.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Franklin, Wisconsin

If a condition on your property breaks the local zoning laws of Franklin, Wisconsin, there are a few different solutions.

It should be apparent 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 Franklin, Wisconsin's zoning laws to the letter would not, in this case, advance their purposes.

Also, if the zoning laws governing your property have changed, and some aspect of it is now violating the new rules, these changes can generally not be enforced against you, because it would be unfair to apply a new law retroactively.

What Can A Franklin, Wisconsin 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 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 reputable Franklin, Wisconsin real estate attorney will greatly improve one's chances.

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Life in Franklin

Franklin is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. It has a population of about 32,000 people. Franklin is frequently ranked among the top 100 places in the U.S. to live by Money Magazine. Franklin is also highly ranked by some specialty publications, in certain niche categories. For example, FDi Magazine (a publication for the Foreign Direct Investment industry) has also ranked Franklin quite highly in terms of human resources and infrastructure. Milwaukee County contains many prized natural features, many of which are located in Franklin, Wisconsin. Among them are unspoiled wetlands, old-growth forests, prairies, river habitats, and many others. Because of its natural beauty, it should be no surprise that Franklin has many parks and outdoor recreation areas. Paradoxically, Franklin is also home to a superfund site, thanks to a (now defunct) landfill company that illegally allowed the dumping of toxic waste on its land. If you are looking for an attorney, and live in Franklin, Wisconsin, chances are you'll be able to find one. Franklin, Wisconsin lawyers are well-educated, and highly skilled. If you have any legal problem whatsoever, you should consider retaining a Franklin, Wisconsin lawyer.

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