Despite the fact that the first working oil well was built in Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1858, people rarely associate the state with the pumping of crude oil and natural gas. A land use conflict is now brewing in western Pennsylvania that may refresh people's recollections as two environmental groups are challenging the rezoning decision of a township to significantly increase the percentage of industrial land within its boundaries.
A primer on Philadelphia zoning laws
This blog has discussed several aspects of Philadelphia's zoning code, including spot zoning, variances, conditional uses and rezonings. Now, it's time to step back a bit and provide an overall guide to the zoning process.
Understanding Pennsylvania's installment land sales contract law
Many people in Pennsylvania who want to buy a house cannot qualify for a bank loan secured by a mortgage. In such circumstances, these buyers frequently enter into an installment land contract with the seller. Such an agreement can offer a path to home ownership that may be closed by financial circumstance, but such contracts also have an element of risk that should be understood by anyone considering signing such an agreement.
Apartment building in North Philly does not have required permits
Most people understand that they must obtain a building permit to begin construction of a commercial building and that they must obtain a certificate of occupancy before the building can be put to its intended use. The owner of a parcel of commercial real estate in North Philadelphia may be about to learn the consequences of ignoring these requirements.
