Legal Counsel and Expert General Contractors Often Critical to Austin Businesses
Business disputes can take many forms, but some of the more stressful ones can involve disagreements with the City over permits, inspections, and zoning. Especially for businesses wanting to open by a certain timeframe or needing to expand, delays and disputes can equal substantial lost income and a burden on other parts of the business.
What can be even more frustrating is when city authorities approve a plan but then reverse their decision. Businesses can go to great lengths and expense to pursue construction and development only to have their plans halted. Austin code ordinances require city approvals in regards to zoning, subdivision restrictions, site plans, and building permits. Each category has various restrictions. Qualified general contractors, subcontractors, and legal counsel can often help expedite the approval of new construction and building improvements.
Often before a property can be changed or developed, a site plan is reviewed by the City to determine if the idea meets zoning and land development restrictions. City personnel review the plans for their effects on matters that might include transportation, water issues (such as runoff), subdivision standards, and more. There can sometimes be unpredictability in the process and the City may require a business to amend its plans or respond to concerns about certain elements. Violations of zoning rules may involve the need to get zoning variances or modify the parts of a site plan that are in violation. Sometimes special licenses and permits are required when structures fall into the city’s right of way.
Austin business attorneys know that it may be risky for a business to rely on solely an oral approval by the city in construction or development matters. If city personnel visit a site and give oral approval, a business is usually well advised to wait for the formal documentation to initiate the next step of construction. Approval of a site plan is often critical to building permits that then allows a business owner to bring in the relevant workers to do their trades. Usually a structure cannot be used for its intended purpose until the city inspects it and issues a certificate of occupancy.
Business owners should consider having construction experts and a qualified business attorney on their side to minimize the risk of delays, disruptions and potential fines that could occur on new construction or remodeling of existing structures. To learn more, contact Austin business litigation lawyer, Austin construction litigation lawyer and Austin business attorney Gregory D. Jordan at (512) 419-0684.