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Fight a rezoning, variance, or unwanted project

How to organize, object, and make your case when something is proposed near you.

Before you rely on thisThese are older articles and answers, and laws and programs change and vary by place. For current rules, check with your planning or zoning office, for the hearing date, case file, and deadlines.

Start with these

  1. Guide

    How to Organize Re-Zoning Opposition

    Re-zoning opposition is more effective if you have some tools besides your anger. Learn how the process works.

  2. Visitor question

    How to stop a variance

    Visitor Question: My town has been underhanded about a piece of property that the Catholic Church owns and now wants to profit off this land by building

  3. Visitor question

    How to Object to Neighbor's Variance

    Visitor Question: I live in a condo and my building got a use variance to build to full lot coverage in 2005. My condo is in the residential zone (R-1)

  4. Guide

    Zoning Variances Offer Relief Under Unique Circumstances

    Zoning variances are granted by boards of appeals or adjustment. These should be granted only in cases of unique hardship due to irregular parcels.

  5. Visitor question

    How to stop construction of a three story building

    Visitor Question: How does a town stop the construction of a three-story building? Currently, the first request by the applicant to the town was denied,

  6. Visitor question

    Improper Notification of Zoning Variance

    Visitor Question: My question is about a zoning variance. In this town you must notify all neighboring properties within 150 feet. One neighboring property

  7. Visitor question

    Can zoning be changed without notification

    Visitor Question: Can the planning and zoning department change the zoning on my property without any notification? Editors' Reply: Oh, this really shouldn't

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Original guidance from A Good Community: How to Make and Keep It, owned and edited by Nancy Thompson (formerly Useful Community Development), shared with permission. Community Compass notes and updates are our own and have not been reviewed by Nancy Thompson.