Farmington Hills Zoning Attorney

Find the right Zoning Planning & Land Use attorney in Farmington Hills, MI

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in Michigan

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

Localities typically divide their jurisdictions into segments, referred to as "zones," on which particular types of use are permitted. For instance, 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."

Local governments have various different reasons for enacting zoning laws, ranging from ensuring that residential areas are peaceful and quiet, to safeguarding property values. For instance, most people wouldn't buy a home in a neighborhood where they knew it was possible for a neighbor to turn their house into a factory.

Zoning laws generally acknowledge the necessities of things like factories, sewage treatment plants, and stockyards, but recognize that such activities shouldn't be done in residential areas.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Farmington Hills, Michigan

If something on your property is in violation of a Farmington Hills, Michigan zoning law, the landowner has several avenues.

It should be noticeable 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.

Occasionally, however, a landowner wants to make improvements on their property which might constitute a slight violation of Farmington Hills, Michigan's zoning laws. In this case, the owner can apply for a variance - an official agreement from the local government to not enforce a certain 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.

Moreover, if you have been residing on your property for a long time, and made improvements on it that complied with the zoning laws in effect at the time, a new zoning law that would be violated by your prevailing use of your property, the new law cannot be enforced against you. The U.S. Constitution bars the passage of "ex post facto," or retroactive, laws. Once the laws take effect, however, you'll have to comply with the new zoning laws with respect to any new improvements you want to make on your property.

What Can A Farmington Hills, Michigan Attorney Do?

If you find yourself facing zoning or other land use issues, it's critical to have good legal advice. A reputable Farmington Hills, Michigan 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.

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Life in Farmington Hills

Farmington Hills is located in southeastern Michigan. It is hte largest city in Michigan's Oakland County. Per the 2010 census, the population is around 79.740 people. Farmington Hills is known as an upscale area, and is also located very near the affluent area of Ann Arbor.

The top employers include Botsford Hospital, the school district, Bosch, Quicken Loans, Gale, TD Auto Finance, Aditya Birla Minacs, TRW Automotive Electronics, ACO Hardware, and Nissan Technical Center North America.

Farmington Hills is also home to some attorneys who residents often turn to for thier legal needs. Ann Arbor is also home to many law firms that practice in almost all areas of law, that train their attorneys to always litigate and act in the best interest of their clients.

Some famous residents include Steve Ballmer, Keith Benson, Elizabeth Berkley, Cam Fowler, Al Jean, Bill Joy, Drew Stanton, Fred Toucher, and Fred M. Warner.

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