Lot Splitting on Existing SFR - Advice requested

[Michael Deng]

I am looking into to buy a REO SFR built on a rectangular lot with side dimensions about 170 x 400 ft. All the SFR constructions were concentrated on one end, with about 170 x 240 ft gentle sloped (~10 deg) land unused. I am thinking about buying the property, split the land into two lots, and build another house on the empty one. My questions are:

- Can one do residential lot split or it simply is not allowed?
- If yes, where should I go to apply? City or county zoning commission?
- What kind of document should I prepare for the application?
- Do I need to prepare development plans before I apply the split? Will a town-hall meeting/community hearing be required?
- If the lot can be splitted, how the valuations will be done for property tax purpose? Will the value of the original SFR be reduced by the same amount? Shall I keep ownership for both lots?

I would appreciate all sharings from your past experiences for similar situations, and especially the necessary application steps and potential legal pot holes.

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[Rick Tripp]

Your first stop will be the planning department of the city or county of controlling jurisdiction. They will be able to give you an info packet that lays out the process. While you're there ask lots of questions, that's what they're there for. It will be a pretty well defined process but expensive. Not a good thing to do on your own without experience. First time out, a consultant would be a good investment.