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Attempting to plan for unexpected issues while planning a project can be daunting. Whether launching a large planned development, changing realtor office locations, or providing your bank with official documentation for loan purposes, the Land Use and Development Services department offers ZONING LETTERS as a means of official documentation featuring requested zoning information needed for a given project.
Applying for a zoning letter initiates a mini review by one of our Planners, who will research a parcel’s permitted use, what type of zoning entitlements are associated with a parcel, and even a parcel’s previous building code violations. A zoning letter is better than a phone call inquiry about a property because 1) the letter serves as an official record and can be later searched and tracked on the Develop 901 Citizen Portal; 2) it gives staff more time to develop a thorough response to an applicant’s inquiries; and 3) expedited zoning letters are often received by applicants in less than 48 hours. Many inquiries that we receive asking for a much more detailed response than what can be provided within an hour’s response time are better suited as a zoning letter application.
Once Planners have received a zoning letter application, they review the parcel’s information in the Zoning Atlas, multiple views of the parcel available online, and the applicant’s requests and plans for use. The most common applicants for zoning letters are mortgage lenders, real estate agents, citizens with home occupations, and developers and property owners looking to develop a parcel into a gas station, a funeral establishment, or a car dealership.
If you’re unsure of whether you need to apply for a zoning letter, call and speak to one of our Planners about the information that you’d like to request. Then, you can determine if a zoning letter will be helpful to you in your project planning. Zoning letters can be quickly applied for using the Develop 901 Citizen Portal (under Administrative Applications), allowing for ease in obtaining letters for more than one property and in providing online fee payment. A paper application is also available, though the processing time may be longer depending on when it is received in-office. The application fee for a zoning letter is $50, and the application fee for an expedited zoning letter is $100.
Call Land Use and Development Services at (901) 636-6619 to speak to a Planner about whether your project or enterprise needs a zoning letter.
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