East-central IA!
I didnāt read every post . . . if I were in your shoes, I would contact the developer and see if he wants your land and what heās willing to pay for it.
4 Likes
When buying a property always research the zoning for contiguous land
2 Likes
which may help but the governing body can change the zoning and the definition of the class of zoning. Since we have been here the basic class of zoning for our place has remained the same but the definition of it has changed three times, each time requiring a great lot size for the zoning class. Why? It has come about as others have redeveloped their lots into smaller lots ā¦ and then the people who bought those lots want the ārural life preservedā. All is good an well for those who profited by subdividing their homesteads and now they want to limit my ability to do the same so they can continue to enjoy the view.
My fall back plan is to develop our land, which is in the very middle of this large lot preserve, as a planned urban development ā¦ then let them enjoy the view
3 Likes
Sounds like a plan to me!!! 
G.
3 Likes
The land where the power plant is wasnāt zoned for that.
The company got the town to change it.
IF I wanted to get the zoning changed or a variance how easy do you think that would be for me? Oh thatās right, I tried and it wasnāt even consideredā¦ I was told- at the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting that what I wanted to do would require a variance, that it did not meet zoning. And that was the end of the discussion. So I guess the point of the meeting is to simply tell everyone ānoā?
This situation is exactly why I bought in an equestrian community with all itās icky pickle little rules. I donāt have to worry about some horrid development next door. Behind me is a nature preserve owned by the municipality, and we all in our equestrian community have rules. Apparently sometimes rules are violated and a lot of the just over 100 property owners have sued each other numerous times over the last 20 years, but I donāt have to worry about next door neighbors building on the fence line or putting up apartments or a commercial business. Well they would be sued if they did so. Picky icky rules are better than a major development and headache.
Good luck OP. Try to sell your place to the developer if you cannot prevent the development and get out of dodge. I did get reported for having 12 huge lightning rods, as I call pines, taken down when I bought the place, but thereās no caveat against that, LOL. Just a lot of grumpy HOA officials stopping by to complain and ask what I intended to plant. There are oaks and magnolias extant, so I said I was leaving those up.
2 Likes
I donāt know how much you love your property, have invested in it etc. but I would agree with trying to get the developer to buy it. However, that leaves you the costs of moving and buying another place which can be expensive and might not be feasible for you.
If developer doesnāt want to buy ask him to build a solid wall like cinder block between you and the apartment buildings.
Having apartments next to is a whole different can of worms from having a sub division. Iām assuming the apartments are going to be rentals? Any idea of what price range of rentals they will be because that might have a lot of influence on the type of neighbors you will get.
Another consideration is most apartment complexās have outside security/parking lights, this unfortunately is going to effect your property too. Traffic coming and going, more road usage, noise from parties, unfortunately this will all impact you.
The worst of it is it will also dramatically effect your ability to sell your property in the future and will likely impact the value of it.
For those that suggest buying enough property to insulate yourself from potential future neighbors and developers, sometimes that just isnāt a viable option. You canāt always find or afford the perfect place and even if you do there is no guarantee that it will stay perfect.
4 Likes
Better check to see what other zoning might have been changed in your area when this comes up for hearingā¦it could have already been changed if you werenāt paying attention. I doubt theyāll block tne new zoning permitting tne apartments, developers sunk a bundle into it and spread money around the area. There may be plans to buy more or other developers in the wings too.
Biggest gorilla in the room is they can change yours to multi family tooā¦and even if they donāt, the apartments will have an impact on your property valuation and taxes. Watched that in 3 different states over 50 years, Horse property gets taxed out sooner or later once development and multi family or higher density housing is permitted close by. They can collect more taxes from more home owners on the same sized property, And exsisting owners get greedy or get offered high prices for their property so they will sell to developers.
Might keep the idea if you get a great offer, you might consider selling on the back burner. Just in case.
2 Likes
Yesā¦ it is so tragic and disgusting when someone with a legal right to buy and re-zone and develop land actually does so. It is so tragic and disgusting to put money into a tax base, provide jobs and housing, and infrastructure.
I also suggest a move, but make sure there are no neighbors around at all with small kids or mean kids. Or nosy adults. Or neighbors that hate horses.
Yesā¦ progress is so tragic when it steps on our very special toes.
Having worked in a municipality, your best bet IS to go to the meetings, meet with the planners, and actually find out what is planned to happen. Good luck with it.
5 Likes
I think the biggest issue with this case is the development is for an apartment complex. Probably wouldnāt be an issue if the OP had posted that a subdivision was going in. An apartment complex is a whole different thing, lots of people on a small piece of land, lots of noise, lights from parking lots, lots of traffic in front of your property. If the apartment are rentals, lots of people moving in and out, so you never know who your neighbors might be. I canāt see how this would help someoneās property value either, her trying to sell it now might prove impossible.
1 Like
Interesting to read all of these posts especially since I work in engineering (just started my 18th year in this field) and have been involved in all kinds of development. We mainly do work for towns/cities and we do lots of environmental work (we do lots of clean-up out there!) but we also do work on the private side. Itās not as easy as people seem to think to get a new development approved. Weāve had more projects than I can remember that have taken years to get approved (and more money than you can imagine). And I mean years. And we follow all the town/state regs as required but they can still ask for more. The studies and reports and design plans are constantly being done. And redone. It never seems to end sometimes.
As others have said go to all the town meetings, learn the local regs, and stay informed.
4 Likes
Here I was faced with buying $ 300k worth of land to secure 4 acres of road frontage. I canāt afford that, so those 4 acres , a part of 200 acre parcelā¦are now a trashy trailer park, with 3 trailers per acre on dirt lots with no rules and no management. The trailer closest to my arena, those lovelies burn their household trash in the drainage ditch by the road.
A big improvement over timber, eh ?
5 Likes
OP, pay attention to what others have written about what has happened to them. I grew up seeing bad things happen to my friends who did not sell their properties before something bad was built next door to them. Sell out now so you wonāt get stuck.
1 Like
The problem is now isnāt she required to disclose this with selling her property?
why it is not her property ā¦ disclosure is about know defects on your property such as that buried trash dump where you buried all those pesticide cans ā¦ but I guess the proposed development would fall under buyer beware
1 Like
So you think the process should be easier on the developer?
Why?
:uhoh:
Probably easy to suggest when youāre not the person who saved to buy their home, make it what they wanted, and then have something that ruins it built next door.
6 Likes
No Iām NOT saying that. People think that it is so easy for a developer to get something approved - itās the total opposite. People have no idea what kind of regs we have to follow and how hard it is to get stuff approved. And the regs seen to get tougher by the year. Any private development we engineer actually cleans up an area and makes it a ton better.
4 Likes
I also work at an engineering firm that focuses on land development. Iām not an engineer, but I can say that this is a huge reason why people need to be involved in their local lawmaking. Iām in the North Texas area (Alliance/Keller) and there are myriad examples of cities that have made great laws/rules to assure their community stays nice and just as many examples of cities that sat on their laurels and the developers coming in wrote their own rules and now look terrible.
The process that a developer has to go through is mandated by the city/county/state/federal laws in the area they are trying to develop. If the constituents in that area are involved and vocal, they have a greater chance of maintaining a more pleasant aesthetic to their community. Southlake is a pretty good example of this and is now a highly sought after community to live because people know that some random hideous thing most likely canāt be built due to the laws that were put into place over a decade ago.
2 Likes
