New Brunswick Zoning Attorney

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

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in New Jersey

In New Brunswick, 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 quite 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. Typically, 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 don't exist just to protect residential use - it also protects persons 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 New Brunswick, New Jersey

Suppose you find that some condition on your land is in violation of New Brunswick, New Jersey's zoning laws. In cases like this, you have quite a few options.

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

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 violates 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 New Brunswick, New Jersey's zoning laws, a variance will typically be granted.

Moreover, 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 New Brunswick, New Jersey Attorney Do?

If you are in the process of physically altering your property, you are almost certain to face some concerns having to do with local zoning laws. If you find that zoning laws are making it very challenging to use your property as you see fit, you may have legal recourse, typically in the form of a variance. Of course, your chances of success in any zoning dispute will be immeasurably increased if you have the help of a qualified New Brunswick, New Jersey attorney.

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Life in New Brunswick

New Brunswick is located in Middlesex County, New Jersey. It is popular because it is home to Rutgers University. The city is located approximately 27 miles southwest of Manhattan. It is near the Raritan River.

New Brunswick's nickname is "the Healthcare City" because there are many hospitals. These hospitals include Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Saint Peter's University Hospital, and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Large employers include Johnson Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb. The legal industry is also present in New Brunswick because there are many law offices, and small to mid-size law firms in the city. The legal force here is trained to handle legal needs in all areas of law.

Popular attractions include the Albany Street Bridge, Highland Park, Old Queens, Buccleuch Mansion, St. Peter, the Delaware and Raritan Canal, Rutgers Gardens, and the Henry Guest House.

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