Permitting Paralysis: Land Use Approvals In The Houston Area

BY OMAR IZFAR
ATTORNEY

Although Texas, and in particular, Houston, celebrates a reputation as an entrepreneur’s dreamland, we have a consistently increasing body of land use and development regulation.  Densification brings growing pains in the form of land use conflicts and, in many cases results in more regulation, both public and private. Development in metro Houston is regulated by more sophisticated land use controls than many realize. The persistent rumor that the City of Houston’s lack of formal zoning codes results in a lax regulatory environment inside the City and around the metro Houston area creates false expectations for developers.  Developers neglecting to do their homework experience problems in the form of delay, cost and unexpected limitations on their projects.

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