- Determine which laws apply to your property. Depending on where the property is located, you may have to evaluate county or city zoning laws.
- Search city or county ordinances to find out the allowed uses for your property. ...
- Call your municipal planning or building department. The planning department typically executes the zoning laws for a particular location.
- Research previous uses of the property. If a prior owner was able to get a variance or exception to the law, you may be able to do the same.
- Consider consulting an attorney. If you have any questions or concerns, you may want to talk to a local land use attorney.
How do I find the zoning of my property?
Your local zoning laws will determine the zoning district of your property. Fortunately, zoning ordinances and maps are public records — freely available to every potential homebuyer. You can visit, call, or email your local zoning office, city hall, or your local planning board, and get a copy of the ordinance.
How do I find the city that regulates zoning and planning issues?
The first line of research in the digital age is an Internet search using the exact property address. With so many public records online, this effort is likely to reveal the municipality that regulates zoning and planning issues for that property. Visit the county offices.
How do I check the zoning on my property in Nashville?
To see what that zoning code allows, select "zoning history" on the left side of the page and look for "zone description." If you have a question or are considering changing your zoning, contact the Planning Department front counter at 615-862-7190 or [email protected] . How do I look up the zoning on my property?
How do I find out what can I use my property for?
Search city or county ordinances to find out the allowed uses for your property. Many jurisdictions have their entire zoning code available online, or you may have to make a visit to the county or municipal clerk's office, the library, or the city attorney's office.
How do I find my local zoning?
Call your municipal planning or building department. The planning department typically executes the zoning laws for a particular location. Even if you think you understand how the laws work in your area, it's always best to call and get an official opinion regarding the specific property before you rely on it.
What is a 2 zoning in Colorado?
A. The A-2 Zone District is intended to provide and preserve land for large-lot residential development and limited agricultural purposes in unincorporated Arapahoe County.
What is TN zoning?
The purpose of the R-1(TN) districts is to provide livable and pedestrian-oriented. residential areas within Firebaugh where development is consistent with the Firebaugh. General Plan and is generally limited to low density concentrations of single-family. dwellings.
What are local zoning codes?
A zoning code is just a short combination of letters and numbers that determines what you can build on a particular plot of lands. A zoning code of C-1, for instance, might indicate low-rise commercial development.
What is a 1 zoning in Colorado?
(TCLUR Chapter 2, Section 2.6.1) That portion of Teller County primarily devoted to the purposes of general farming, forestry, ranching, and other such agricultural and residential uses not otherwise zoned.
What is a 3 zoning in Colorado?
Purpose and intent: The purpose and intent of the A-3 Transitional Agriculture Classification is to preserve and protect small farms for personal and limited agricultural production or to provide a transitional agricultural zone between more intensive agricultural use areas and residential areas.
What does R2 zoning mean in Tennessee?
medium density residentialR2 (medium density residential, 9,500 square foot minimum lot for duplexes and intended for two-family dwellings)
What does R 1 zoning mean in Tennessee?
Rural Residential DistrictR-1 Rural Residential District. 503.1. Intent and Purpose. This district is established for low-density residential development, while preventing non- compatible commercial, industrial, and dense residential uses.
What is r3 zoning in TN?
The R-3 Three-Family Residential District is intended to provide for residential areas of medium population density, using three-family attached housing on individual lots, in areas where maintaining a mixture of housing types is desirable.
How do you get around zoning laws?
How Can I Get Around a Zoning Ordinance? If you own property that is subject to a zoning ordinance and that ordinance is preventing you from using your land the way you intend, you may attempt to circumvent the zoning ordinance through a variance or an amendment or rezoning.
What document usually guides most local zoning?
Common Land Use Controls Many jurisdictions have two primary documents that relate to zoning. The first is called a comprehensive plan (also known as a “master plan” or “general plan”). The other is a zoning ordinance (sometimes called a “land use ordinance” or “development code”).
What is land use zoning?
The segregation of land use into different areas for each type of use: agricultural, industrial, recreational, and residential.
What is r2 zoning in Colorado Springs?
The city zone district for this size is R-Estate. This zoning accommodates large lots primarily low-density single-family residential uses. R-2 is for small or medium lots for single-family or two-family residential dwelling uses.
How tall can my fence be in Colorado Springs?
Within the City of Colorado Springs fences no higher than six (6) feet are allowed to be constructed anywhere on a property without obtaining a building or fence permit through the Regional Building Department (RBD), except within established preservation areas.
What does NEC stand for in land use?
Building Use:AGR:Vacant - AgriculturalMSC:Industrial (NEC)MSC:Vacant Land (NEC)MSC:Residential (NEC)117 more rows
How to find zoning for a property?
Right-click a property and choose “What’s Here?”. Now you should have an address to find the zoning for. You’ll want to take that address, enter it into the top left search bar, and click enter. You’ll want to be sure and change the map back from satellite view, to map view, so it is easier to see the streets.
How to zoom in on a map?
Using the zoom buttons and your cursor, move the map around until you get to the area you want to be in.
Is it easier to find zoning maps?
Don’t fret though, finding a property on a print ( PDF or image) zoning map is easier than it looks.
Is zoning confusing?
With all the colors, streets, and zoning codes, zoning maps can be confusing if you are unfamiliar with them.
Is zoning intimidating?
Let’s face it, when you first open a zoning map, it can be pretty intimidating, especially if it’s for a large city.
Is zoning map a GIS?
At this point, you may get lucky and find out that the zoning map is indeed on a GIS that the city has put together. If it is, just search for your property on that system and voila. If you find out that the zoning map is a PDF or image (Not a GIS), then keep reading.
How do I know the zoning of my property?
Your local zoning laws will determine the zoning district of your property. Fortunately, zoning ordinances and maps are public records — freely available to every potential homebuyer. You can visit, call, or email your local zoning office, city hall, or your local planning board, and get a copy of the ordinance.
How to get zoning information?
A legal description of your property — owner’s name, address, tax map, and parcel number — will get you all the zoning information you need. As you can see, accessing zoning information does not require significant research. Having said that, if you face any difficulty, you can always get help from your local officials or an attorney. Especially, if your intended property use is not included or permitted in the ordinance. An attorney will help you find ways to expand the lawful use of your property by getting the required permission from the local zoning board.
How do zoning laws impact a community?
These laws help them maintain an orderly and systematic neighborhood.
Why is knowing your zone important when buying a home?
Zoning is crucial when you’re buying land mainly because the property can only be used for certain purposes, dictated by the zoning laws. Every state or county may have its own zoning structure, so owning a property in one place will be subject to different rules and zoning regulations than another.
How does zoning affect oil refineries?
For instance, zoning laws keep the oil refineries away from apartment buildings. That way, the localities are organized in a rational way, and the factories stay away from city life at a comfortable distance.
What does rezoning a property mean?
Rezoning essentially means changing a property’s zoning. The process is rarely easy. Keep in mind that any rezoning must be consistent with the local master land-use plan. To confirm it does, get a copy of the master plan from the zoning or planning office.
What is zoning structure?
A zoning structure even sets the development standards for land. For example, the building height, floor-to-area ratio, size, placement, density, neighborhood compatibility, screening, and even yard landscaping .
How to find out zoning in a house?
Talk to a realtor and neighbors. As you are examining the property, ask a Realtor or the surrounding neighbors to see if they know which governmental agency is responsible for the zoning in that area.
How to know what zoning is allowed?
Check zoning guidelines for your use. Ask if there are specific written, online or printed guidelines describing what uses are allowed in each zoning area. Each subcategory of residential or commercial is usually assigned a number, such as R-1 for residential or C-2 for commercial. The numbers will not give you specific enough information to know if your proposed use is acceptable for that area, so ask for the specifics. Be sure to check such regulations as sign height, yard setbacks and allowed home business uses before moving forward with any project or business.
How to find out zoning in a municipality?
Visit the county offices. If you are not able to discover the municipality through an Internet search, then visit the county offices. Speak with the county recorder's clerks and ask to see zoning maps or tell them the address or general location of the property and ask if it is in the county jurisdiction or in some other municipality's jurisdiction for zoning. The county recorder keeps records of every real estate transaction in the county, and has detailed real estate maps. She can direct you to the correct municipality.
What is the zoning department?
There is usually a zoning department or board, a planning and zoning board or department, or a planning department that handles zoning regulations. If you have the address for the property, a simple phone call may be adequate. If not, you may have to go into the office and look at zoning maps.
What are the two categories of zoning?
Zoning is divided into two general categories: residential and commercial.
Why are long term residents more likely to know about zoning?
Long-term residents or experienced Realtors are more likely to know that information because they are more likely to have interacted with a zoning board. Single-family residents, especially short-term residents, have little reason to need zoning regulations.
What department is responsible for zoning?
Call your municipal planning or building department. The planning department typically executes the zoning laws for a particular location.
What is zoning law?
Zoning laws are enacted by cities or counties to restrict how property may be used in certain areas. The purpose of these laws is to keep businesses from negatively impacting residential neighborhoods – typically to decrease traffic and congestion, as well as ensure people have safe and peaceful places to live. Likewise, homeowner's associations control the use of property within a particular planned development. Whether you want to repaint your house or start a home business, you should first check the zoning laws to make sure your proposed use is allowed.
What do you need to prove when seeking a variance?
When seeking a variance, you generally must prove to the zoning board or homeowner's association that the variance is necessary for you and that your proposed use won't change the character of the neighborhood or infringe on your neighbors' property rights.
What do homeowner associations control?
Likewise, homeowner's associations control the use of property within a particular planned development. Whether you want to repaint your house or start a home business, you should first check the zoning laws to make sure your proposed use is allowed. Steps.
How to get approval from neighbors?
If you know your neighbors reasonably well, talk to them about your proposed use for your property. As long as they're okay with it, ask them to write letters for you detailing their approval and how they don't anticipate your use impacting their lives.
Is it a mistake to call someone before they can use your property?
At the same time, it can sometimes be a mistake to call attention to your planned use before you've determined whether it is allowed. If you're worried about attracting undue attention to your property, consider getting a friend to call for you, or avoid providing your exact street address to anyone in the office.
Who governs land use?
Contact the homeowner's association. If your property is located in a planned community, land use typically is governed by the homeowner's association rather than the municipal planning department.
How to get property line information?
Many counties and municipalities have plat maps on their Geographical Information System (GIS), accessible through the official county or assessor’s website. This information can be a helpful guide as a start and could get you close enough for your intended purpose. Usually, you can input your address to search up a copy of your property map. It should show your house and any other structures, along with your property lines.
How to find plat map?
When you buy a house, you typically receive a plat or property line map. If you don’t, you can find it at the county clerk’s office. The plat will give you the exact dimensions of your lot related to other lots on your block. For a property on a residential street, expect to see similarly sized rectangles lined up on each side of the street, showing each privately owned property. Every individual property will be labeled with an identifying number. This number is separate from the parcel number for tax purposes. Your neighbors may be able to help as well. You can ask them if they have a copy of their plat map, which would show the neighborhood.
What are property lines?
Property lines are necessary during construction by the developer, city, county, or state to show where ownership of one plot of land starts and ends. A surveyor establishes the formal boundaries and marks them. When the property is legally split, the new property lines are established in a survey. The property line at the front of your house is known as your frontage, the measured distance across the front of the plot you own. The property lines on the side of your plot are known as sidelines. Local zoning laws often dictate these distances.
Why are property lines in place?
Property lines are in place to keep one property owner from encroaching on another owner’s land or compromising their privacy by building too close to their house. A typical encroachment might be tree limbs that grow past your property and overhang into a neighbor’s yard or a driveway poured to extend onto a neighbor’s property. When you know exactly where your property lines fall, you’ll avoid accidentally encroaching on your neighbor’s land.
What are property line markers made of?
Locating property line markers is another alternative to finding survey pins. Property line markers can be made of metal, wood, or concrete. For a relatively new home, the property boundary markers might still be in place. If you find survey pins or concrete boundary markers, they are likely to be more accurate, as wooden stakes are more easily moved. Check your plat map to see where to look for property line markers.
What is a metes and bounds survey?
A metes and bounds survey identifies a landmark to define the property boundaries, such as a tree, creek, road, or intersection. This is the “place of beginning” or POB. You can then use a compass to follow the directions provided. This survey can be hard to understand because it often uses landmarks that may no longer exist. For example, the survey may state that a property line extends “fifty meters from the tall maple.” However, that maple tree may no longer be standing.
What app can you use to find plats?
Other GPS apps can provide you with accurate plat maps. LandGlide and Landgrid are two used most commonly by property owners.
Find The Property on Google Maps
Find The Related Zoning Map
- Now that you have a property in mind, you’ll need to find the corresponding zoning map. You can find the proper zoning map by using the search box on our homepage. If it’s not in our database yet, you can search google for it (This might take a minute, or five). At this point, you may get lucky and find out that the zoning map is indeed on a GIS that the city has put together. If it is, ju…
Look For The Similarities
- Alright, here’s where it gets fun. Now that you have Google Maps open on one page, and the related zoning map on another page, you’re ready to search. The first thing I do is zoom way out from the property I searched for on Google Maps so that I can get the lay of the land. A good rule of thumb is to zoom out far enough so that you can see the entire city on the map. This makes i…
Conclusion
- With all the colors, streets, and zoning codes, zoning maps can be confusing if you are unfamiliar with them. With that being said, finding a property on a zoning map doesn’t have to be difficult. This article covered the exact steps we use to find properties on zoning maps every day. It may seem drawn out and confusing at first, but over time, it will become like second nature to you. If …