Land owners, developers, builders, and municipal governments rely on Michael Best for counsel and guidance through the complex processes of land use approval, from concept to occupancy. Our lawyers have extensive experience working with private sector clients and municipalities in all areas of land use regulation, zoning, and condemnation matters.
We assist clients with obtaining applicable federal, state, county, and local government permits, licenses, and approvals for a broad variety of projects, as well as preparing and negotiating development agreements, land use applications, and other documents and agreements with government entities. Our attorneys appear before local governing bodies and quasi-municipal bodies in approval, regulatory, and enforcement matters. Because of our extensive municipal law experience, we are also retained by local governments to represent them in many land use matters. When necessary, we are strong advocates for our clients in litigation at the trial and appellate level.
Our land use experience and activities include:
- Development agreements
- Tax incremental financing and development agreements
- Rezoning and variances
- Environmental issues and regulations
- Brownfield development counseling and grant assistance
- Redevelopment plans
- Property taxation
- Platting and mapping
- Licenses and approvals
- Special use permits
- Site plan review and approval
- Annexation
- Challenges to local zoning regulations
- Eminent domain
- Intergovernmental agreements and cooperative boundary agreements
- Land use litigation
- Permits for non-metallic mineral extraction sites
- Smart growth comprehensive master plans
- Special assessments
- Special service areas