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Showing 8 posts in Land Use Law.
How Does Hensley v. Gadd Affect Your Kentucky Short-Term Rental Business?
In Hensley v. Gadd, 560 S.W.3d 516 (2018), the Kentucky Supreme Court found that use of real estate as a short-term rental through a platform such as Airbnb or VRBO is “commercial” and not “residential” in nature and barred the property owner’s short-term rental business. The case therefore has important implications for real estate professionals of all stripes – including real estate brokers, real estate agents, investors, and property managers – with any short-term rental business in Kentucky. More >
A Primer on “Safe by Design” Land Use Planning
One of the more interesting facets of land use planning is its ability to impact our lives in a multitude of ways. We can intuitively understand and grasp the concepts of keeping certain types of land use apart – the landfill and the residential neighborhood, for example. These are facially obvious ideas, even if they can still generate controversy from time to time. What is not so obvious, however, is how and where land use planning can impact us in more subtle ways, especially with regard to public health and safety. More >
Non-Conforming Uses
In its most basic form, a nonconforming use is the use of a property which is no longer a permitted use under current zoning regulations but was permitted under prior zoning (or, in some cases, before there was zoning). In effect, a prior permitted use is grandfathered in despite the current zoning status. For instance, imagine the neighborhood where you run a business is rezoned as a residential area. Does this mean you have to shut your doors? No. Non-conforming uses play a key role in real estate development as a creative solution to promote urban infill through reuse of existing properties, as it may allow a use that is not otherwise permissible More >
Where the First Amendment and Land Use Meet: Planet Aid v. City of St. Johns
Generally speaking, land use regulations and zoning laws arise from practical and aesthetic concerns and considerations, and are driven by state and local law. However, sometimes a community’s desire to regulate a seemingly minor issue can implicate our most fundamental rights under the Constitution. Last month, we discussed the Supreme Court’s decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert, which involved an analysis of the First Amendment’s applicability to local sign ordinances. Finding that restricting signage based on the content of the sign was impermissible under the First Amendment, the Supreme Court struck down Gilbert’s ordinance. Commentators have since described this as the “sleeper case” of the Supreme Court’s term, representing a substantial shift in First Amendment jurisprudence. The case has since been used to justify striking down local and state bans on political “robocalls” and panhandling, and could possibly extend to call in to question laws aimed at consumer protection and securities law. Indeed, Reed and the reaches of the First Amendment are currently in the forefront of controversies involving everything from soda labelling, to the rights of topless performers operating in Times Square. More >
The Newest Sign for Some Sign Ordinances: Stop
Sign ordinances and regulations are a fixture of city and county zoning and land use regulations, designed to prevent unattractive clutter from obstructing the public view. In creating these regulations, however, local governments run the risk of infringing some of the most basic constitutional rights. Signs inherently include a component of speech, and regulation of the former may unintentionally interfere with the latter. The town of Gilbert, Arizona, learned this lesson the hard way in the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision of Reed v. Town of Gilbert. More >
The Role of the Comprehensive Plan in Land Use Planning
The comprehensive plan is the most important tool in land use planning. In its most basic function, it provides a roadmap for the development of a community’s most limited resource, the land itself. More than just a rigid set of directions, however, the comprehensive plan lays out a community’s vision for the future, providing guidance as to how the community will grow and thrive while striking an appropriate balance between competing uses. More >
What Does the Board of Adjustment Do?
In communities that have adopted zoning regulations, boards of adjustment serve as a relief valve that can allow for the use of property that is not otherwise permitted under the property’s specific zoning category . Boards of adjustment have the power to grant dimensional variances, which are deviations from the dimensional requirements of a zoning ordinance pertaining to height, width, location of structures, or setbacks. For example, if a property owner wants to build or extend a structure within the required side, front or rear yard, she can appeal to the board to request permission to build closer to the property line. Applicants for a variance must show a need for the variance and that they are not unnecessarily trying to circumvent the zoning regulations. An unusually shaped lot or other unique physical characteristics of the particular property that make it hard to comply with the setback or height requirements are typically justifications for a variance. In one Kentucky case, the appellate court found that it was appropriate to grant a variance to allow building a house closer to the street because there was a sinkhole in the rear yard that prevented building the house farther back. When a board grants a variance it must make certain statutorily required findings of fact. Variances run with the land, so subsequent owners acquire the benefit without further approvals. More >
Check the Zoning Regulations Before Operating a Business Out of Your Home!
Modern technology and our ever-changing economy are causing more people to consider starting up or basing their existing businesses from home. Many communities have embraced this concept and have enacted zoning regulations that make it easier to do just that. Some jurisdictions, however, still have regulations on their books that make operating a business from home a real challenge. Regardless of where your community falls on this spectrum, it is important to know what the rules are before you start operating a business from your residence. If you live in a community without any zoning regulations you can do just about anything you want to on your property but it is advisable to check to make sure there are no recorded restrictive covenants that limit or prohibit non-residential or commercial activities in the subdivision. Assuming that there are zoning laws that apply to the property, or if you are uncertain whether your area is subject to zoning, the first step is to call the local government. There are many different names for the division of government that may regulate such matters, such as building inspection, codes and permits, or the zoning office, but if you call the general city or county number and explain what you need to know, they will direct you to the right place. More >
