Basic Zoning Laws

Basic Zoning Laws

Local zoning ordinances and regulations are important considerations when choosing your business location. Zoning laws impact several critical business decisions such as purchasing property or making improvements to your existing property, so it is important to understand the laws before you commit to anything.

Property is zoned into commercial and residential uses, so a commercial building cannot be built in a residential neighborhood and vice versa, unless there is a change in zoning ordinances. Other considerations also come into play such as how you intend to use your facility, the nature of any renovations, and so on.

Finding out How Property is Zoned

You can find out how property is zoned by contacting your local planning agency. One way to determine your local planning agency is to perform an internet search using the name of your community or city, your state, and the term “planning.”

Before getting too involved in a zoning issue, consider hiring a local land use attorney to help you through the process and ensure you are compliant.

Related Resources:
License and Permit Search Tool – Enter your zip code and business type to find a list of licenses and permits you will need to operate your business.