Avoid Common Building and Zoning Violations
Building and Zoning Code violations cloud title and reduce the value of real property. Further, unabated violations can add up to thousands of dollars in enforcement fines. State and municipal laws concerning code standards vary depending on the specific jurisdiction where the property is located. However, the following are some of the most frequent violations […]
Federal Pro-Housing Land Use and Zoning Reforms
For real estate developers and investors in the multi-family sector of the market, it’s important to understand how federal policies may impact future development opportunities. While zoning regulations fall primarily under the purview of local and state governments, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken unprecedented steps to address the national housing crisis. In late 2022, Congress […]
How Does the Illinois Open Meetings Act Affect the Zoning Approval Process?
Whether you are seeking a zoning variance, a zoning map amendment (rezoning), or a special use permit, it’s important to know the legal requirements for conducting a public meeting. Understanding the Illinois Open Meetings Act allows you and your team to advocate more confidently and effectively before administrative, quasi-legislative, and quasi-judicial bodies and to object […]
What Can Go Wrong if You Do Not Have a Zoning Attorney at a ZBA Hearing?
Earlier this year, the CEO of Prada, Gianfranco D’Attis, razed a single-family home in the Village of East Hampton and then sought a series of variances in order to construct a state-of-the-art single family residence with a pool on the same lot. At the ZBA hearing, he was not represented by an attorney. Image Source: […]
Birchwood Law Assists Business Owners Purchasing Commercial Real Estate
In 2022 and 2023, Birchwood Law participated in a series of Small Business Workshops hosted by a not-for-profit organization called SBAC EMPOWER which strives to provide mentorship and support to Chicagoland’s entrepreneurs and business owners. The workshops were organized in partnership with several chambers of commerce, including Woodlawn and Greater Englewood. For a small business […]
Katarina Karac Selected as 2023 “Rising Star” in Illinois for Land Use and Zoning
Katarina Karac has been selected as 2023 Rising Star in Illinois for Land Use and Zoning by Super Lawyers. Only the top 2.5% of qualifying attorneys in Illinois achieve this designation. “My clients come to me with their business ventures on the line. Zoning is incredibility convoluted and intimidating to them. When I take on […]