Cherry Hill Zoning Attorney

Find the right Zoning Planning & Land Use attorney in Cherry Hill, NJ

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in New Jersey

In Cherry Hill, New Jersey, there are laws which determine what can and can't be done on given parcels of land. These laws get pretty involved sometimes, and aren't always extremely accessible to laypersons. This article should serve as a good overview of these laws.

"Zoning" is the process by which a local government makes laws determining how individual pieces of land within its jurisdiction can be used. Normally, towns or cities are segmented off into "zones," each one being designated for a specific type of use. Examples of common zoning categories are single family residence, commercial, multi-unit housing, or industrial.

Local governments have many different reasons for enacting zoning laws, ranging from ensuring that residential areas are peaceful and quiet, to protecting property values. For example, 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 typically acknowledge the necessities of things like factories, sewage treatment plants, and stockyards, but recognize that such activities shouldn't be conducted in residential areas.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Cherry Hill, New Jersey

You have quite a few options if you find that a planned or current use of your property violates Cherry Hill, New Jersey's zoning regulations.

First of all, and most simply, the owner could just fix the violation. If the violation isn't very considerable, and fixing it wouldn't cost very much, this is probably the best and easiest option.

However, it isn't always practical or affordable to correct a minor violation of a zoning law. For example, suppose you have just spent a large amount of money and effort remodeling a house to turn it into your dream home. You thought you were in total compliance with local zoning laws when you did this, but find out that there is some small, technical violation of Cherry Hill, New Jersey's zoning laws. In these cases, you have recourse in the form of a variance. You are entitled to petition the local zoning board to grant you a variance, which is an official decision not to apply a particular provision of a zoning law to a single violation. These aren't always granted, but typically have to be granted if the violation doesn't interfere with anyone else's use of their property, and doesn't thwart the purposes of local zoning laws.

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

What Can A Cherry Hill, New Jersey Attorney Do?

If you are in the early stages of a major construction or remodeling project on your property, especially if it is in a residential area (where zoning laws tend to be most restrictive), you are likely to face 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 help of a brilliant Cherry Hill, New Jersey real estate attorney will greatly improve one's chances.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Cherry Hill

Cherry Hill is located in New Jersey's Camden County. It is the thirteenth largest city in the state and is home to around 70,000 people. Cherry Hill is included in the Delaware Valley coastal plain. The city is about five miles outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In fact, some call Cherry Hill the "edge city" of Philadelphia.

The top employers are Subaru of America, Pinnacle Foods, and Commerce Bancorp. A popular site for residents and visitors is Cherry Hill Mall. This mall is distinguished from others because it was the first enclosed shopping mall in the eastern United States. It opened in October 1961.

In 2006, Money Magazine named the city amongst the "Best Places to Live." Money Magazine also ranked it the eighth safest city to live in. Philadelphia Magazine, in 2006, named Cherry Hill amongst the "Best Places to Live" as well.

Many attorneys call Cherry Hill home. Along with safety, residents can also remain rest assured because any and every of their legal inquiries can be adequately handled by the legal force in Cherry Hill.

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