“Buildable” and “non-buildable” are terms specific to development. Buildable and non-buildable consider some of the following items (this list is not in any order of importance and is certainly not exhaustive of all items considered in whether a site is buildable or not):

• What is the zoning of the site and does zoning permit the use considered?
• What is the site size required for the use(s) allowed within the zoning district?
• Does the site have access or is it landlocked?
• What is the topography? Are there bluff restrictions, slope restrictions, etc.?
• Are there easements to consider?
• Are there right-of-way restrictions for building (example: 75’ from the centerline of the road to the front of the building)?
• Are there deed restrictions?
• What are setback requirements from property boundaries, easements, ROW’s, etc.?
• Are there covenants of restriction (as in an HOA)?
• Are there any wetlands and what is allowed within that type of wetland (some wetlands can be drained through a wetland mitigation program)?
• Can soils support:
  • A building
  • Well
  • Septic
  • Road
• Are there required distances between each of the above that must be met?
• Is the property in a floodplain? If yes, is building allowed and what are the restrictions/requirements?
• Are there water and/or mineral rights issues/requirements?
• Is property a historic property; does it contain a cemetery, archeological site (example: Native American burial grounds); airport restrictions?
• Is property a former or current landfill or is it close in proximity to a current or former landfill?
• Are there any encroachments by an adjacent property?
• Is the land subject to any government programs (example: CRP, CREP, RIM, etc.)?

The list goes on and is the reason a developer works with a surveyor, engineer, planning and zoning, etc.

Many of the items above are in Minnesota’s “Vacant Land Disclosure” form. I was on the forms committee when this form was developed, and my land questionnaire questions were incorporated into this form. MN is a consumer-protection state and there are forms for residential disclosure, commercial properties, as well as vacant land.

If you are a land professional and desire additional education in regard to land development, valuation, brokerage, and more, please visit the REALTORS® Land Institute website. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at Tjensen@NationalLand.com. And don’t forget to check back here for more posts on these topics!