Clifton Zoning Attorney

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

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in New Jersey

In Clifton, New Jersey, there are laws which determine what can and can't be done on certain 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 typical zoning categories are single family residence, commercial, multi-unit housing, or industrial.

Local governments have numerous 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 typically 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 Clifton, New Jersey

You have quite a few options if you find that a planned or prevailing use of your property breaks Clifton, 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 likely the best and simplest option.

Of course, just fixing a zoning violation isn't always modest or easy, and may interfere with your planned use of your property. For instance, you might have just undertaken a considerable remodeling of your home, and later found out that some small part of it technically doesn't conform to Clifton, New Jersey's zoning laws. If this happens to you, you can apply to your local zoning board for what's known as a "variance." This is simply a decree by the zoning board that the particular rule your property violates no longer applies. The Supreme Court has held that local zoning boards have to grant variances when the violation is extremely minor, and enforcing the ordinance would be unduly burdensome and not in the public interest.

You are also protected if your land is currently in complete compliance with local zoning regulations, but the area where your land sits is re-zoned, and your property is suddenly not in compliance with the new zoning regulations. Typically, these new regulations cannot be utilized to force you to change existing conditions on your property. No laws can be applied retroactively, under the U.S. Constitution. Of course, if you make any improvements on your land after the law changes, you'll have to comply with the new law.

What Can A Clifton, New Jersey Attorney Do?

If you suddenly become involved in a zoning dispute with your local government, it's necessary to seek competent legal representation. The counsel of an accomplished Clifton, New Jersey 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.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Clifton

Clifton is located in Passaic County, New Jersey. As of 2010, it has a population of 84,136 people. What is interesting is that Clifton is listed under five different zip codes--07011, 07012, 07013, 07014, and 07015!

Clifton has been mentioned in media such as the film The King of Comedy, Donnie Brasco, and the television series The Sopranos.

Well-known residents include Jay Alford, David Chase, Ronald F. Maxwell, Jon Seda, Steve Smith, Dave Szott, and Ivan Wilzig.

Clifton is also home to many small law offices and law firms, who train excellent attorneys to practice in various areas of law. Therefore, the legal needs of Clifton residents will always be tended to.

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