Land entitlement is a legal process in real estate that involves gaining approval for a development plan.
While the process is often lengthy and relatively complicated, it’s an essential aspect of development since it determines what is able to be done with the property in question.
This article aims to provide a comprehensive and detailed guide about the entitlement process and its importance for development.
Because of how complicated the entitlement process can be if you’ve never been through it before, likely the best way to explain how the process works is by detailing each specific step of the entitlement process.
The primary elements of the entitlement process include:
With these steps in mind, the process should be a relatively straightforward one as long as there aren’t too many complications. When you’re preparing for the entitlement process, there are a few tips you should keep in mind, which include:
There are many different types of entitlement that could apply to your specific situation, which include:
The zoning of land determines what is able to be done with the land. In the event that the area has yet to go through this process for the intended use that you have for the land, you may need to go through a rezoning process. It’s important to understand that rezoning is not always possible.
If the site that you want to develop on has not been outfitted with utilities, it’s possible that you would be required to obtain approval for adding utilities. Some of your land may also need to be donated directly to the city so that the proper utilities can be installed.
These variances can include building heights, setbacks, and parking spaces.
In some cases, it’s necessary to obtain additional approval for any landscaping that you are going to complete during the development project.
If roads don’t currently connect to your property, approval may need to be obtained before you will be able to create them. Easements may also need to be considered.
A conditional use permit could be necessary for your specific project. This type of permit is typically required when development would lead to negative impacts to the surrounding community, which could include increased noise or traffic.
Entitlement is highly important because your project will not be able to go forward unless you are able to obtain permission from numerous regulatory agencies in the area as well as the surrounding community. Since this process can determine if your development project can proceed, it’s critical that you’re fully prepared for what the process entails. Throughout the entitlement process, you will almost certainly be asked numerous questions from local residents, government leaders, and city planners.
If you are unable to provide in-depth answers to all of these questions, your plan could be rejected entirely. At the very least, the process would take longer to complete, which is why preparation is necessary.
If you still aren’t sure about how this process works and why it’s important, you can contact Crest Real Estate to speak with one of our representatives and learn more about how we can assist you.
There are many risks and challenges that come with going through the entitlement process for a project of yours. These risks can be separated into process risks and political/community risks.
The process risks that you should be aware of include:
The political and community risks for your project might include:
If you want to successfully complete the entitlement process, it’s highly recommended that you take steps to assess and mitigate risk. For instance, having the right members on your team can go a long way towards easing the concerns of the planning department as well as the local community. Knowing how the entitlement process works can also help you mitigate risk by making sure that you aren’t surprised by any of the proceedings.
When it comes to the political and community risk, you can mitigate this risk by reviewing other plans in the area that were approved or rejected in the past and by understanding the needs and desires of the city and district as a whole. If you know what concerns the local community typically hold, you will be better prepared to address these concerns when it comes time for the neighborhood to review your proposal.
Assessing and mitigating risk benefits you because it gives you a small amount of control over how the entitlement process goes. Mitigating risk may be able to save you a significant amount of both time and money when it comes to developing your project, which is why the aforementioned steps are important.
When you want to get started with the land entitlement process, you should first work on creating a land-use pre-application that complies with all of the local codes. Once you’ve created this application, it should be taken to your local planning department, which effectively begins the land entitlement process.
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