Van Ness Feldman is renowned for its strong representation of public and private sector clients on matters pertaining to interpretation, compliance, and defense of actions under Washington State's Growth Management Act (GMA), Shoreline Management Act (SMA), and within designated Critical Areas (wetlands, streams, habitat areas, floodplains, and geologically hazardous areas). The firm seeks to leverage its keen understanding of local planning efforts, statutory requirements, and political climate to direct our involvement with local staff, planning commissions, and legislative bodies to help clients achieve wide-ranging goals. In addition, we are adept at helping clients with the critical presentation phase of their plans. The firm has extensive experience in the following areas:
- Comprehensive plans and development regulations
- Urban growth areas
- Planning for, and provision of, urban services
- Concurrency
- Impact fees, exactions, and other mitigation programs
- Limited areas of more intensive rural development (LAMIRDs)
- Fully-Contained Communities (FCC)
- Critical areas designation, permitting, mitigation, and reasonable use exemptions
- Agricultural, Silviculture, and mineral lands designation
- Urban and rural land capacity analysis and density requirements
- Buildable lands analysis