Charleston Zoning Attorney

Find the right Zoning Planning & Land Use attorney in Charleston, SC

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina has laws which regulate how individual parcels of land can be used, and how they cannot. These rules aren't always simple, and this article should serve as an introduction to some of the most prevalent issues that homeowners might face, though it is not meant to turn a layperson into an expert.

"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 typical zoning categories are single family residence, commercial, multi-unit housing, or industrial.

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

Zoning also serves the interests of industry, as well as residents. By ensuring that there are places where heavy industry can take place, well-planned zoning regulations will ensure that industrialists are free to practice their trade, and that residents will not be disturbed by those activities, which makes industry more feasible by helping it prevent costly nuisance lawsuits.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Charleston, South Carolina

If something on your property is in violation of a Charleston, South Carolina zoning law, the landowner has various avenues.

It should be apparent 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.

Of course, just fixing a zoning violation isn't always inexpensive or easy, and may interfere with your planned use of your property. For instance, you might have just undertaken a substantial remodeling of your home, and later found out that some small part of it technically doesn't conform to Charleston, South Carolina'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 quite minor, and enforcing the ordinance would be unduly burdensome and not in the public interest.

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

What Can A Charleston, South Carolina 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 Charleston, South Carolina 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 Charleston

Charleston, South Carolina is an important port city located in Charleston County. It is nicknamed the "Holy City" due to the large number of churches that mark the city's skyline. As a port city, trade is central to the city, as a number of ships and boats launch regularly from Charleston.

Charleston is unique among cities that showcase a Southern culture. In general, Charleston's community culture is a rich blend of French, English, West African, and southern American elements. Particularly, the "Charleston dialect" is a rare dialect featuring distinct phrases and is not comparable to other dialects in the Southern U.S.

Charleston, South Carolina draws many visitors every year when it holds its annual Spoleto Festival USA. The Spoleto Festival is an art festival lasting 17 days and featuring more than 100 performances by artists practicing in different disciplines. The event is an internationally recognized festival and is considered to be the premier performing arts festival of the U.S. Other notable Charleston attractions include live music at the Music Farm, and the Citadel a famous military college. Many Charleston lawyers studied at Charleston School of Law.

Lawyers in Charleston, South Carolina are available to assist persons who may have differing legal needs. Charleston is the first city in the United States to institute a "Livability Court", which is a municipal court that focuses on legal cases involving housing, animal control, tourism, traffic, the environment, waste, and compliance with city zoning codes.

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