I've appealed zoning twice—once got a flat no, the other time they actually listened and made an exception. Depends heavily on your city's board and how reasonable your request is...worth a shot, but don't hold your breath.
"Depends heavily on your city's board and how reasonable your request is...worth a shot, but don't hold your breath."
Yeah, zoning appeals can be hit or miss, for sure. A couple years back I was working on a small multi-unit project and ran into a similar situation. The property was zoned strictly single-family, but the lot size and location practically screamed for townhomes. I figured it was worth the effort to appeal, especially since the city had approved something similar nearby.
First meeting was pretty rough—lots of skeptical faces, plenty of pushback from neighbors worried about parking and traffic. Honestly thought I was dead in the water. But after tweaking my proposal to address their concerns (adding extra parking spaces and some landscaping buffers), the second hearing went surprisingly well. The board seemed more receptive once they saw I'd genuinely considered their feedback.
So yeah, it's definitely not guaranteed, but in my experience, showing flexibility and willingness to compromise can really swing things your way sometimes. Just gotta be prepared for a little frustration along the way...
Yeah, flexibility definitely helps, but honestly, sometimes it feels like zoning boards just make decisions based on mood or who's loudest in the room that day. Had a similar experience trying to get approval for an accessory dwelling unit—neighbors flipped out about "changing neighborhood character." Eventually got it through, but man, what a headache. Curious if anyone's noticed certain types of projects that boards consistently push back on more than others?
Interesting point about zoning boards being unpredictable, but I'd argue there's usually some consistency beneath the chaos. From what I've seen, projects that add density or significantly alter traffic patterns—like multi-family units or commercial conversions—tend to face more resistance. Maybe it's not always just who's loudest but also how clearly a project aligns (or doesn't) with the town's long-term planning goals? Just a thought...
That's a good point, zoning boards aren't completely random... When we refinanced last year, my neighbors tried converting their garage into a little rental unit. It wasn't even about traffic or density, but the board shot it down because it didn't match the neighborhood's "character." Sometimes it's those subtle things too.
