In 2026, Owen built a detached garage five feet into a required setback without first obtaining zoning approval. After the city issued a violation notice, Owen asked the zoning board for a variance, arguing that moving the garage would be expensive. Under standard variance principles, which statement is most accurate?
Correct Answer
A) A self-created hardship generally does not justify granting a variance
Variance relief is generally disfavored when the hardship is self-created by the owner's own actions, such as building first and seeking permission later. The mere cost of correcting an unauthorized improvement usually does not convert the problem into a qualifying land-based hardship.
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Related Topics & Key Terms
Key Terms:
Related Concepts
Deed restrictions are limitations placed in a deed that control how a property may be used by the current and future owners. They are a form of private land use control that runs with the land.
An easement is a legal right to use another person's land for a specific purpose without owning it. It is a nonpossessory interest in real property that typically runs with the land.
An easement by necessity is created by court order when a property is landlocked and has no access to a public road. It arises from the necessity of accessing the property, not from long-term use.
More Land Use Controls Regulations Questions
The 'innocent landowner' defense under CERCLA requires:
A buyer purchases a home in a subdivision whose CC&Rs, recorded in 1975, limit each lot to single-family residential use. The buyer begins operating an auto body repair business out of the garage, with customer vehicles parked on the lot and a spray booth in the driveway. The CC&Rs say nothing about home-based businesses. Can the HOA stop the business?
Permission to depart from a requirement of the zoning ordinance for a single parcel is obtained through a:
Zoning ordinance compliance is monitored through:
The main difference between private and public land controls is:
- → A government plan guiding long-term physical development is:
- → A developer plans to build a new condominium complex. The developer must create and record certain governing documents before selling any units. What document is the foundation of the condominium's governance structure?
- → A homeowner in an HOA community wants to install solar panels on her roof. The CC&Rs do not address solar panels. The HOA's architectural review board denies the request, citing aesthetic concerns. In many jurisdictions, how do solar access laws affect this dispute?
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- → What does the term 'covenants, conditions, and restrictions' (CC&Rs) refer to in real estate?
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