Plantation Zoning Attorney

Find the right Zoning Planning & Land Use attorney in Plantation, FL

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in Florida

The laws governing how land can and cannot be used in Plantation, Florida are fairly complex, and can be confusing to laypersons. This should provide a basic overview.

Localities typically divide their jurisdictions into segments, referred to as "zones," on which particular types of use are permitted. For example, one area of a town might be zoned for residential use, a nearby one for commercial use, and areas on the outskirts zoned for industrial use. This practice is called "zoning."

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.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Plantation, Florida

Zoning laws are often quite extensive and meticulous, and it's very possible that your property in Plantation, Florida contains some minor zoning violation that you don't know about. If this happens to you, you have significant 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 major inconvenience, you should obviously do this.

Sometimes, however, a landowner wants to make improvements on their property which might constitute a slight violation of Plantation, Florida's zoning laws. In this case, the owner can apply for a variance - an official agreement from the local government to not enforce a particular zoning regulation. Generally, variances are granted when the violation is very minor, and, enforcing the letter of the zoning law would not do much to advance its broader purpose.

Furthermore, zoning ordinances cannot be applied against you retroactively. For example, suppose you built a 3-story house on your property, and your property was zoned to allow 3-story houses to be built at the time of construction. And then, years later, the area you live in is re-zoned, to only allow 2-story houses. Can the local government force you to remove a whole level of your house? Of course not. Applying a law retroactively is unconstitutional. On the other hand, any future changes you want to make to your property will have to comply with the applicable zoning ordinance as it is currently written.

What Can A Plantation, Florida Attorney Do?

If you suddenly become involved in a zoning dispute with your local government, it's essential to seek competent legal representation. The counsel of an experienced Plantation, Florida real estate attorney can make it much easier for you to act within the law to use your own property as you wish, or at least be as free as possible to make improvements to your land.

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Life in Plantation

Plantation is a South Florida city that is home to 90,000 Broward County residents. The namesake of Plantation is the owner of the Everglades Plantation Company that proliferated the motto "the grass is greener." Most people would know the Plantation City Hall and Plantation Golf Course from the movies There's Something About Mary and Caddyshack. Plantation is an ethnically diverse city and one of the most popular Fort Lauderdale suburbs. Popular among families, the city has 20 schools and many are private institutions. Just because Plantation is a suburb does not mean it's not a booming city too. Shipping giant DHL's World Headquarters, American Intercontinental University, University of Phoenix, the great Broward Mall and the Fashion Mall are all within Plantation city limits making it much more of a destination for locals and tourists.

Plantation is a standout community that plays host to a handful of lawyers. Plantation lawyers are familiar with local courts and will be able to help you figure out the best options for your legal matter. Plantation is home to a number of NFL players like Chad Ochocinco, Ty Law, Mike McKenzie, Zack Thomas, and rapper Fat Joe. With such and illustrious cast of residents you shouldn't be surprised to find out Plantation is one of the quickest growing cities in Broward County. There has also been an influx of new retail stores and accommodations for travelers who have come to visit the Everglades or Fort Lauderdale. There are also some well-rated restaurants that attract clientele from around the world.

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