How Can A Real Estate Attorney Help In A Zoning Dispute With City Authorities?
Posted on: 28 December 2022
If you're a property owner, there's a chance you may find yourself in a dispute with city authorities over zoning at some point. When that happens, it's important to know that you have options, and one of those is to hire a real estate lawyer. A good real estate attorney will be intimately familiar with the zoning laws in your area and can provide invaluable assistance in resolving the dispute. Here is how a real estate attorney can help:
1. Reviewing the Relevant Documents
The first step in any zoning dispute is to review the relevant documents. This includes the zoning ordinance itself as well as any correspondence you have had with the city or county. A real estate attorney will be able to quickly identify any potential problems with the way the city or county has interpreted the ordinance.
2. Investigating the Facts
Once the relevant documents have been reviewed, your lawyer will dig up the facts about your property and the zoning laws around it. This may involve talking to witnesses, reviewing public records, and examining physical evidence. The goal is to develop a clear understanding of what happened and why.
3. Identifying Potential Goals
Once the facts have been established, your attorney will work with you to identify your goals in the dispute. Do you want to be able to build on your property? Are you trying to get a refund of fees paid to the city? Or are you simply trying to stop the city from taking some type of action against you? Once your goals have been identified, your attorney can develop a strategy for achieving them.
4. Negotiating With the City
In many cases, it will be possible to resolve a zoning dispute without having to go to court. Your attorney can communicate with the city or county on your behalf and try to negotiate a resolution that is acceptable to both parties. This can save you a considerable amount of time and money.
5. Taking the Case to Court
If negotiation is not possible or fails to produce a satisfactory result, your case may need to be decided by a judge or jury. Your attorney will be there every step of the way, fighting for your rights and advocating for a favorable outcome.
Going against the authorities on your own is a bad idea, and you're likely to lose. You need someone who understands the law. From reviewing relevant documents and investigating facts to identifying potential goals and negotiating with the authorities, an attorney has the tools and experience necessary to help you win your case.
Consult a real estate attorney today to learn more about how to protect your property rights.
Share