Did you know that different cities in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area may have different zoning regulations? What is permissible in one community may result in a zoning violation in another. For individuals who plan to move from city to city, even within the same geographic area, understanding zoning rules is critical to staying ahead of real problem headaches.

Prior posts on this real estate law blog have discussed how different types of properties — residential, commercial, recreational, agricultural and others — have different zoning designations. While zoning rules and regulations do exist to provide conformity to different parts of a city, they can present challenges to people who may want to use their residential real estate or commercial real estate for nonconforming uses.

A nonconforming use is one that falls outside of the permissible zoning designation. Special permission can be granted by a community’s governing body to allow for a nonconforming use, but not every request is honored. Some individuals may find themselves facing zoning disputes with their cities or towns’ councils or other bodies of governance over issues that may not seem all that significant.

If people are preparing to challenge a zoning designation in their community or to request permission for a nonconforming use, it can be helpful to enlist the assistance of people who understand zoning laws.

The law firm of Burns & Hansen focuses its practice on matters related to real property, its use and zoning. Our attorneys are available to meet with people to discuss their zoning and real property questions, as well as to provide guidance when they find themselves facing zoning disputes. For more information on our real property practice, please visit our website on zoning.