Our office will stand by you and provide any relevant information to support your claim. Here are additional agencies that can assist you and provide more resources:. Lot Size. Home Size. More Filters. Create Account Register. You finally found the perfect piece of land. Should you buy the land anyway? Does wetland even hold any value?
Wetlands can be a good investment, but the value of the property and whether this is a smart choice for you will depend on your personal goals for the land. What are Wetlands? Wetlands are land areas that are saturated with water. They may be saturated only during certain times of the year, or they may be saturated permanently. Wetlands are, in essence, their own ecosystem, and they include aquatic plant vegetation. Many people do not realize that wetlands play an important role in the environment, particularly for flood control, water purification, shoreline stability and carbon sink.
These special areas of land are also considered some of the most biologically diverse of all the ecosystems of the world. They often are home to a wide variety of different plants and animal life. Because of their important role in the environment, private landowners are often limited by where they can build and how they can use their land if it contains wetlands.
Should it border running water, have a pond or even wetlands? The wetlands equation can be a little sticky in that there is some confusion and lack of knowledge about wetlands. If you hunt waterfowl , they are good. Some people like them. Some people think they are a waste of good space. The presence of wetlands also impacts what you can do with and how you can enjoy the property.
It can also impact how to go forward with your development plans. Regulations and rules for dealing with wetlands can be a bit confusing and involved. Clint and I are experienced land professionals who specialize in hunting and recreational property, many times that include wetlands. Both Martin and DePaola have extensive experience dealing with property that feature wetlands and know what you can, cannot and should or should not do with them.
That slowing of water movement and filtering results in less erosion and improved water quality. The guidelines and permit process is overseen and enforced by the U. Army Corps of Engineers and either Florida or Alabama state departments. In addition, there are local ordinances and regulations that may or may not come into play. You want to make sure that your mitigation will be equal to or greater in value to the portion of the wetland that you will destroy during your project.
Even if you can build, maintenance will be significant. Rather than investing in wetlands, you may consider a different type of property with lower maintenance. Outside of permit requirements and environmental regulations, some construction projects fail because it is difficult to build in areas that are prone to wetness. Thus, if you have the option, avoid wetlands altogether, unless you are just looking to use the land for recreational purposes.
Be sure to thoroughly consider your choice before you decide to build on wetlands. For more information on buying, selling, or investing in vacant land, check out our other resources below.
Additional Resources If you are looking to buy affordable land , you can check out our Listings page. If you are looking to sell land , visit our page on how to Sell Your Land. Subscribe Now. Disclaimer: we are not lawyers, accountants or financial advisors and the information in this article is for informational purposes only. This article is based on our own research and experience and we do our best to keep it accurate and up-to-date, but it may contain errors.
Please be sure to consult a legal or financial professional before making any investment decisions. Looking to buy a 1 acre lot. Front part is dry.
It has already had a wetland study. Would this still be suitable to build on the front half and stay off of the wetlands? Hello Sharon, Typically there are setback requirements around a wetland that will also impact where you can build on your lot.
Every county also has slightly different requirements for septic and well permits so you should give them a call to go over what these requirements are and how they may impact the area of your property that is buildable. I hope this helps! You missed one vital point. The government cannot prevent anyone from using wetlands for agricultural purposes normal in the area, including growing crops as well as for arbor farms.
I live in Florida. Even if you dig a man-made pond, the epa can and regularly does classify it as wetlands. I say pay me for my land if you want to protect it, if not, stay off of my farm. By the way, where are my manners, thank you for the article.
Very informative with very valuable information and I will be subscribing. We are looking at a property that has wetlands, but the front of the property alongside the road has two dilapidated cottages. Since they were there already, could we demolish them, Rebuild and rent them out, wIthout worrying about regulations?
Hello Trisha, we would be careful in a situation like this since the cottages could have been built before wetland regulations came into play or they could have been built illegally. You may want to reach out to both the county and your local Army Corps of Engineers Office to see what is allowed. I am planning to buy a sigle family home in a community and recently came to know that the lot I am interested was a wet land before but it is filled now and i could see homes already built around my lot.
Hi Eric, it really depends on whether a federal or state-designated wetland is still located on the property. I would check with a local real estate attorney or broker to see if a wetland still exists on the lot and, if so, what rules and regulations are in place. Hello Jamie, that sounds like a tough situation.
I would suggest that you speak with a local attorney to see what your options are. You may even be able to find an attorney who will offer free minute consultation calls to start. Hello Janice, if there are both wetlands and endangered species on your property, it will be difficult.
You will first have to reach out to your local Army Corps of Engineers office for a permit to build on or near the wetlands. You will also want to reach out to the US Fish and Wildlife Service to see if you will need a permit from them due to the presence of endangered species. There may also be state level permits required.
I purchased 30 acres of land in Dryden NY. It has about 14 Acres of Preserves. The beavers are building a dam off of Hwy and it is causing flooding. I spoke with the Highway department and they said it nothing that I can do because I planning on building in Wetlands. I purchased the property from a reputable company that made sure that the utilities were bought to the land.
Should I get a lawyer or should I find a developer to start the building process and hope for the best? Hello Joanne, I am sorry to hear about your situation. Unfortunately, building on a wetland is very difficult, and even if you are legally able to do it, flooding and drainage can be major headaches.
Thank you for this great article, I found it very helpful. I have 10 acers of land in VT and it was a hay field for generations prior. A previous land owner put a ditch running through the middle of it to help with flooding that would happen due to the land being a slight bowl shape. What are my chances here? Hello Michaela, if you are simply trying to improve the wetlands, I would think this would be ok, but you should give the local Army Corps of Engineers office a call.
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