Skokie Zoning Attorney

Find the right Zoning Planning & Land Use attorney in Skokie, IL

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in Illinois

The laws that regulate how land can be used, and what structures can be built on individual pieces of land in Skokie, Illinois can sometimes be a bit confusing. This article will not make its reader an expert, but should serve as a good introduction to the subject.

"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 numerous different reasons that cities might engage in zoning - but it is typically 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 maintain property values

On the other hand, zoning laws recognize and attempt to accommodate the necessity of factories and other industrial activities. They just seek to ensure that such activities are performed in a way that they don't conflict with the rights of adjacent landowners to use and enjoy their property in peace.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Skokie, Illinois

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

It should be obvious 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.

What if, however, you've invested a substantial amount of time and money into making an improvement on your property, only to find that it breaks your local zoning laws in some minor way? In this case, you can apply for a variance. This is typically an exception to the zoning rules. If declining to enforce these rules would not harm anyone, and would not do much to advance the purpose of Skokie, Illinois's zoning laws, a variance will typically be granted.

Moreover, zoning ordinances cannot be applied against you retroactively. For instance, 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 reside 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 Skokie, Illinois Attorney Do?

If you suddenly become involved in a zoning dispute with your local government, it's imperative to seek competent legal representation. The counsel of an efficient Skokie, Illinois 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 Skokie

The picturesque town of Skokie, Illinois is located just sixteen miles from the state capital of Chicago, and twelve miles from Chicago O'Hare International airport. Comprised of 10.2 square miles, Skokie is a popular town for city workers to live in, and was awarded the Illinois "Governor's Award" as well as being recognized as an "All American City" by the National Civil League.

Out of the entire country, Skokie was the first community to have a nationally accredited fire, police and public works department -- a distinction that places Skokie as a model city to many others inside and outside of the state. With all the awards and attention, it is no wonder that Skokie was named one of the 80 fastest growing suburbs in the nation.

Also on the rise in Skokie are lawyers. Whether working in Chicago or Skokie, local lawyers are skilled in anything a client may need whether it is a high stakes divorce or drafting a simple deed. Many lawyers come from the local law schools in Chicago, including University of Chicago Law School.

Skokie gets its unique name from the Native American term for fire. Skokie is home to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education center, and the city's large Jewish population makes it the only Illinois city that has more Jewish schools than Catholic schools. The North Shore Center for Performing arts is located in Skokie and provides the city with many cultural events and concerts every year.

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