County has a few regulations for land in the US, from survey the lots to create parcel maps, to soil and wildlife tests.
The purpose of having such regulations is to make an easy manage of land so they can be sold and the Real Estate market is as healthy as possible. Among these regulations, the most common and the ones that we care the most are ZONING REGULATIONS.
What Is Zoning Regulations?
Zoning is a system that regulates the type and intensity of land use development that occurs within a community. To create a zoning system, a local government divides the municipality into districts and regulates the construction and use of buildings within these districts.
Regulations may differ among the districts, but within each individual district, the regulations must be uniform.
Residential Zoning
Residential zoning includes single-family residences, suburban homesteads, and other designations like houses, apartments, co-ops, and condos.
The planning department will determine if a mobile home can be placed in the lot, they will also tell you if you can build a single-family home and what percentage of the property is buildable. This usually happens when the lot is located on an area where wetlands are common. Building on wetlands in general, involves certain risks, since the land is not as stable as firm plots of land. If villages are not built with sufficient knowledge, there is a risk of the houses absorbing the humidity in the soil, or even worse, properties being damaged as a result of flooding.
Agricultural Zoning
Agricultural zoning is a specialized form of zoning used by communities that seek to preserve their agricultural base. It reflects a community-wide policy that farmland is a valuable resource that should be preserved to ensure the continued production of agricultural commodities.
The basic building block of an agricultural zoning scheme is an agricultural zone with regulations that strictly limit the construction of all buildings and structures unrelated to agricultural land uses and activities. Most often, an agricultural zone is part of the community’s overall zoning scheme.
Recreational Zoning
Drive around almost any town and you’ll see movie theaters, bowling alleys, and local parks. Some are free to play in while others have an admission. What all these have in common is that they all sit on recreational land. Each city has decided in what areas it wants its residents to live in, to work in, and to play in. So the areas where people can play in is called recreational land and each city has determined what land areas can be used for this purpose.
Commercial Zoning
Commercial land can be any plot or section of land used for commercial purposes and intended to generate a profit. This means that the land hosts warehouses, industrial property, retail stores, parking lots, malls, hotels, office buildings, and medical centers. Apartment complexes and other profit-generating residential properties are also considered commercial land. Raw, undeveloped rural land or infill land in the path of future commercial development also fall under this category.
Bottom line: verifying land use
This is just basic and general information about the land use regulations. It is important to know that each County has it´s own way to do things and that every area may differ from the others, that´s why you must verify that the piece of land you are trying to acquire meets your criteria for any potential use you want it for. Also, having a recreational, commercial or any other lot that is not residential, doesn´t mean that you are not able to build a home, there are some areas where County allows properties to have more than one zoning type at once, making them really attractive in the market. So make sure you get all of your due diligence done before making any decicion or signing a contract to purchase a parcel.
If you’re ready to buy, you can get started online or give us a call at (619) 452-0197.
