Requesting a Zoning Verification Letter

Zoning Verification Letters are documents sometimes required by purchasers or lenders when a building is sold or refinanced. These letters verify the zoning district of a property and indicate whether or not the use is permitted under the City’s Zoning Ordinance. When known, Zoning Verification Letters note nonconformities present on the property.  Because different entities sometimes need different information, we have developed a simple process to assist those seeking a Zoning Verification Letter..

• The party requesting a letter should send the Planning and Development Department a draft of what they would like such a letter to say.  Email the draft letter along with your contact information to [email protected].
• The letter should be simply formatted in a Microsoft Word-compatible document.
• This document must not contain any fillable fields or other attributes. This is because the City may need to edit the letter before signing it.
• After completing the letter, City staff will place it on City letterhead, sign the document, and return a PDF copy back to the requesting party.

By following these steps, staff can efficiently and quickly process a reasonable number of letter requests, yet customize each to suit the requester’s needs.  This simple process has been implemented without the need for a system of fees or collections.