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What are zoning laws?

On Behalf of | Feb 2, 2023 | Commercial Real Estate |

Before purchasing or renting a commercial property, it is important that you consider the zoning laws of the area.

Zoning categories have a big sway over many things regarding property, including activities that people can do within the buildings on said property.

How zoning laws work

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts discusses zoning laws. Cities will establish these codes in order to show how people can use the land in a certain area. Many exemptions and complexities exist within these divisions.

For example, in some parts of Boston, a company can build and operate hotels. In other areas, only shopping centers or office buildings might have allowance to build and operate, even if these areas are right next to one another.

Zoning codes also permit or disallow certain establishments from opening up in the vicinity of churches or schools.

Community-set zoning laws

Each community in the state can set its own zoning laws in accordance with what it sees fit. Thus, any potential business owners in the area need to check these laws before buying land or buildings to make sure that their particular business or plan for building fits within the laws.

Exemptions to zoning regulations also exist. For example, some properties get grandfathered in due to how long they have existed in a certain zoning area. They can follow older zoning laws instead of newer ones accordingly.

Special-use permits also exist in special circumstances which allow people to meet prior regulations, too. This is one potential option for business owners looking to set up shop in a new city.