Lewis and Roca lawyers have extensive experience in the administrative, legislative and litigation aspects of land use law. This practice is statewide in scope and includes both public and private sector representation.
Administrative Practice
Lewis and Roca’s land use lawyers routinely practice before city and town councils, county boards of supervisors, boards of adjustment, citizen participation boards and local stakeholders (businesses, neighbors) in connection with the local administration of land use and zoning regulations.
Lewis and Roca represents clients seeking:
- Rezoning approvals including master planned community zoning approvals (specific plans, planned area developments, planned community developments)
- Comprehensive or general plan amendments
- Variances
- Conditional or special use permits
Lewis and Roca advises clients and negotiates on their behalf in connection with the interpretation and enforcement of zoning and subdivision regulations including:
- Zoning interpretations
- Zoning violations
- Subdivision plat or development plan approvals
- Administrative approvals of development planning proposals
- Zoning due diligence analyses
Lewis and Roca works on behalf of clients to negotiate, adopt and implement:
- Development agreements
- Economic development agreements
- Community/neighborhood agreements
- Municipal annexations
- Redevelopment and urban renewal districts
- Impact fees agreements
- Public records requests and open meeting law conformance
- Government condemnation or eminent domain
- Governmental finance mechanisms including public improvements districts and community facilities districts
- Planning and acquisition of state lands
- Conservation easements
Legislative Practice
Lewis and Roca’s land use attorneys are active in the drafting and adoption of land use legislation at the municipal, county and state levels, including practice before planning commissions, local governing bodies and the state legislature.
Litigation Practice
The firm’s lawyers have been active in land use law litigation at the trial and appellate court levels, representing both local governments and private developers and landowners. They have been involved in a number of important cases, dealing with the foremost issues in land development regulation, including:
- Compensation for regulatory takings
- Proposition 207 claims
- Zoning initiatives and referenda
- Validity of aesthetic regulations, including sign controls, architectural and design review, and restrictions on development of environmentally sensitive lands
- Validity of exactions and development fees
- Zoning for controversial uses, such as group homes and landfills
- The adequacy of zoning procedures, such as notices, hearings and protest calculations
- Utility service authorization
- Adult businesses
Client Industries
The firm’s clients include:
- Homebuilders
- Commercial and industrial developers
- Retailers and shopping center developers
- Mining industry
- Health care facilities
- Educational facilities
- Senior communities
- Hotel/resort uses
- Agriculture/cattle industry
- Sign companies
- Client industry organizations
- City, town, county and tribal governments
- Construction contractors
Lewis and Roca LLP and Lazarus & Associates, P.C. always exercise independent judgment, in the best interest of the client, about referrals based on the particular facts and circumstances of any representation.