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Zoning Ordinances These are the laws and regulations that govern what and how you can build on a particular property. Each property will be located within a mapped "zone". Each zone will typically be designated by some capital letters and/or numbers- "R1" for example is common for single family residential districts, "R2" for multi-family buildings, "C" for commercial building ,etc.
Each zone will have it's own set of regulations determining what kind of functions can be happening in that zone (residences, commercial buildings, etc.), as well as various limitations in size of buildings, setbacks, height restrictions, and a whole host of other regulations. Pay particular attention to the fact that there are also "overlay" zones that can further sub-divide different zones ("historical" zones for example) that can have overlapping regulations and require different types and levels of review to obtain a permit.
Often, the entire Zoning Ordinance can be viewed online through your local jurisdiction's website. Just keep in mind that these are not always easy to decipher and it is not always easy to make sure you have uncovered all of the various layers of regulation you might run in to. If you run into trouble, I offer a low-cost feasibility analysis of your property to help establish some of these ground rules for you project. |
