Manitowoc Zoning Attorney

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

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in Wisconsin

Manitowoc, Wisconsin has a fairly considerable number of laws that dictate how specific 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. Usually, localities are divided up into "zones," which are designated for specific 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 constructed next to daycare centers, pig farms should not be constructed 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 persons 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 Manitowoc, Wisconsin

Zoning laws are frequently quite extensive and meticulous, and it's quite possible that your property in Manitowoc, Wisconsin contains some minor zoning violation that you don't know about. If this happens to you, you have substantial legal protections.

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 huge 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 typically be granted if the violation doesn't harm anyone, and enforcing Manitowoc, Wisconsin's zoning laws to the letter would not, in this case, advance their purposes.

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

What Can A Manitowoc, Wisconsin Attorney Do?

If you are in the process of physically altering your property, you are almost sure to face some concerns having to do with local zoning laws. If you find that zoning laws are making it very challenging to use your property as you see fit, you may have legal recourse, typically in the form of a variance. Of course, your chances of success in any zoning dispute will be immeasurably increased if you have the assistance of a qualified Manitowoc, Wisconsin attorney.

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Life in Manitowoc

Manitowoc is a city located in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. It is also the county seat of that county. As of the 2000 Census, Manitowoc has a population of approximately 35,000 people. The area now known was Manitowoc has been continuously populated by humans for thousands of years. It was first settled by people of European descent in 1835. Manitowoc has the interesting distinction of being the crash site of a Soviet spacecraft, Sputnik 4. The crash occurred in 1962, and involved a 20-pound piece of a much larger spacecraft. Nobody on the ground was injured, and the spacecraft itself had nobody in it. Today, there is a historical marker on the spot where the piece hit, and a cast of the part was made before it had to be returned to the USSR. The cast now sits in a museum in Manitowoc. Manitowoc is home to a zoo, as well as several historical sites, art museums, and parks, providing many recreational opportunities. If you live in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and need an attorney, it's likely that you'll be able to find one. Manitowoc, Wisconsin lawyers can handle just about any case you might have.

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