Purchasing your first brick-and-mortar building is an incredibly exciting prospect. It can also be slightly overwhelming. There are so many aspects to consider and things to research. One thing you need to consider as you contemplate potential retail or office space is zoning.
How does zoning work?
Basically, city planners divide the available city lots into zones in order to organize the available space. These lots typically fall into three main categories, residential, commercial and industrial. As a business owner looking to buy an office or retail space, you should be looking at commercially zoned spaces. These will be in the C-1 zone in Atlanta.
How is a C-1 zone building differentiated?
Specifically intended for retail or indoor shopping centers, offices, hair salons, theaters, etc., these lots have restrictions on the height and size of the building and many other regulations. For example, there must also be parking available.
Arguably, any non-single-family residence could serve as a commercial space. However, it is more prudent to stick to already zoned spaces to avoid potential neighborhood or legal fallout.
You can find out what zones certain areas fall under in Atlanta via this helpful map.
How do I proceed once I decide on a potential property?
Buying a property for commercial use is much more complicated process than buying a home. There are applications, permits and contracts involved. A lawyer experienced in business zoning and permits can be an excellent guide to ensure that your venture gets off on the right foot.
