Curious in buying land for astronomical purpose, but not sure where to start? Have the funds to purchase land, but unsure about regulations for buying land? Wondering where to buy and what your considerations should be?
Welcome to our series about buying land for astronomical use as we help you navigate the challenges with this process. There are many of them including, but not limited to land regulations and zoning, financial considerations such as taxes and upkeep, logistics of visiting and building on the property, and taking the time to maintain the site.
Every amateur astronomer has their own considerations and desires for buying land, whether it be for a dark sky site with no structures to visit several times a year for casual observing or to build a remote observatory for imaging. Crucial aspects including how often one plans to visit the site, how far the site is from where one lives, how many people will be utilizing or owning the land all play into the factors discussed below. If there is 1 person involved with the purchasing, owning, and utilizing the site, then the only considerations are their own. Whereas, a group of investors needs to be on the same page as differences in perspectives can result in the final product not satisfying anyone.
Ideally, before looking into actually purchasing the land, one will come into this process with a relatively good sense of how much land they would want to purchase and any structures to be setup on the newly acquired property. Nevertheless, these considerations should at least written down before looking at the details of actually purchasing as details such as finances and regulations can drastically change what the final result looks like.
The first part of our series will consider zoning and building regulations as these regulations will determine what can be built and if one can even build on the site before one even starts. What the land is zoned for and the building requirements might make or break the entire process. Although one would look at the cost of the land and sky quality in regards to light pollution first, it is crucial that regulations are considered before moving forward with the purchase. One of the worst things that could happen is that after the property is acquired, the zoning or building regulations make it impossible to build the desired structure due to costs or zoning considerations. Being aware that there might be regulations that could inhibit the process, finding out what those regulations are, where to find such regulations, and how to navigate them are crucial this process. These regulations must permit for the desired structures, which is why the purchaser needs to be aware and make an effort to determine if permitted before making the purchase. If it is not possible to get the proper permits, then one should look at a different piece of land that would allow for the desired structures.
In the second part of our series, we will be taking at look at considerations for buying land, in regards to the topics of light pollution, and financial considerations. It might sound simple to pick a plot of land to purchase because it looks like a dark sky; however, considerations such as light pollution trends, city growth trends, and light pollution legislation are all factors in its long term success. These factors can drastically change how the future of the site will be in regards to observing over the course of a few quick years.
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