Conover, North Carolina Zoning and Land Use Regulation Law Firm

Navigating the specific regulations and formal procedural requirements of local governing councils, zoning boards and commissions can be challenging and time consuming for North Carolina businesses and individuals. Municipalities and counties are creatures of statute, meaning that their powers, duties, and a whole host of other issues are dictated by state legislation.

However, anyone who has worked with different local governing councils, zoning boards or commissions knows that the saying “no two are alike” applies. This is in part because local governments tend to adopt, within the framework established by state legislation, their own set of ordinances, rules and regulations based on factors specific to their area. The result is that local regulations and procedural formalities can differ greatly from town to town and county to county throughout North Carolina, not to mention the swing in political environments from one locale to another.

Experienced Guidance for North Carolina Land Use Issues

These variations from one locale to another, and from one zoning board to another, are just an example of why it is important that clients hire an attorney early on in the process of dealing with local governing boards and zoning boards and commissions.

Often an attorney is not consulted until well after a project’s inception. Sometimes a landowner invests time and resources in a vision of how he will use his land, only to realize that the project needs to be tweaked or completely revised in order to comply with local government laws. Hiring an attorney at the beginning of the process helps avoid these situations, and ensures that the client’s efforts are productive.

Susan Williams Matthews is experienced advising local governing councils, zoning boards and commissions, and education-related boards in North Carolina. She also represents individuals and businesses that come before these public bodies. Ms. Matthews draws on her experience "wearing both hats" in order to better serve her clients and offer practical and creative solutions to issues that arise.

Legal Support for Zoning and Land Use Matters

Examples of ways that we can help with zoning and land use issues include:

• Advising individuals and businesses on applicable zoning and other land use regulations
• Assisting individuals and businesses in the application process for zoning and other land use permits (e.g. variances, special use permits, conditional use permits, etc.)
• Representing individuals and businesses before local governing councils and zoning boards and commissions (e.g. City Councils, County Board of Commissioners, Boards of Adjustment and Planning Commissions)
• Serving as counsel to public boards and commissions and advising on open meeting laws and quasi-judicial proceedings
• Advising property owners associations on a myriad of issues which come before them and filing claims of liens for delinquent assessments
• Representing clients on property tax appeals
• Advising clients on eminent domain/condemnation matters

We invite you to contact us to schedule a consultation and discuss how we can help you address your North Carolina zoning and land use issues. We look forward to working with you.