Land Development Today - July/August 2007 - (Page 16)

REGULATIONS proposal when law-makers realized that there was nothing in place to require affordable units in the project. In other circumstances, these approvals may set a precedent, positive or negative for future cases. On a smaller scale, development approvals unpopular with the local community can make future approvals within the area even more of a challenge. Today, the citizenry are both more sophisticated with the process and more willing to “pick a fight.” In this instance alone, in order to properly manage the entitlement process, it is crucial to have a recent history of legislative action related to prior projects, as well as identifying the most active participants in those projects. Environmental Regulations Finally, environmental regulations also have an enormous impact on redevelopment. In most jurisdictions, counties or municipalities are free to implement stricter environmental standards than those implemented by the superior government. Changes to the forest conservation laws, for example, those that require more on-site forestation/reforestation, can dramatically impact a property’s yield. Often these are the regulations that are most unnoticed by the development professionals and yet can have a huge impact. There are instances of more “media-friendly” initiatives, such as when Montgomery County (Maryland) and Washington, D.C., among others in the area, legislated that all future construction in the jurisdictions would have to meet certain minimum green building Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. The degree of press in the mainstream media, in addition to the industry-focused journals, ensured that a wide swath of the development community was aware of this particular legislation and how it would affect specific projects. But, even so, there remains some confusion over the implementation even among design professionals. Manage the Risk In order to manage risk when it comes to the ever-changing local laws, it is imperative to establish someone in an organization responsible for compiling and disseminating information on new legislation. The simplest way to stay informed is to join a local development industry organization whose mission includes lobbying the decisionmakers on development issues. At the very least, the organization should publish a newsletter highlighting key issues. Joining relevant committees within the organization allows a more thorough understanding of issues, as do strategic partnerships with design professionals, lobbyists or local counsel. Certain regions also have industryrelated, region-related journals that track specific projects and legislation, which is a valuable tool to highlight key initiatives. Entering into a development project, of any size, requires that everyone involved be keenly aware of the various local land use issues, past, present or looming in the future, to ensure that the project proceeds as smoothly and efficiently as possible. The key to this is finding relationships with professionals who know where to look for the issues and who can clearly communicate the benefits and burdens. SLDT About the author: Erica A. Leatham is an attorney with Stark, Meyers, Eisler and Leatham (Rockville, Maryland) concentrating in the areas of zoning and land use, real estate taxation appeals and commercial transactions. She represents clients in zoning and land use matters before various administrative boards and commissions. Sustainable Wastewater Solutions Turnkey Solutions provided in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee Design Services, Products, and Operation Support oﬀered nationwide 16 July/August 2007 Sustainable Land Development Today V denus www.Adenus.com 877-669-0786 ® for the Decentralized Market Circle 173 • or www.LandDevelopmentToday.com/adinfo http://www.Adenus.com http://www.Adenus.com http://www.LandDevelopmentToday.com/adinfo

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Land Development Today - July/August 2007

Cover Contents Our Voice: Industry Advocates Your Voice: Reader Response Cover Story: Preparing Your Tax Strategy The Rules of the Game Historical Redevelopment Project Profile: Seattle’s High Point Retention: From Ravine to Road Land Use: Picatinny Arsenal Mixed Use: Florida Offices Industry News Products/Services Showcase Classifieds Recommended Reading Advertiser Index Editorial Board The Last Word: What? Me Plan… Urban Development

Land Development Today - July/August 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.