Land Use and Development

Our firm has an active practice involving land use and related local government issues. Hugo Blankingship and Sarah Hall started the firm's practice over 35 years ago and the firm remains actively involved in this area of the law.

We have extensive experience in advising clients and negotiating with various local governments in Northern Virginia, especially Fairfax County. We are able to suggest a wide range of other professionals to assist clients with the land use process such as engineers, transportation consultants, architects, land planners, and surveyors.

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Our land use and development practice involves rezonings, special use permits, special exceptions, variance requests, and resolution of issues relating to subdivision and site plan approvals. We have a particularly active practice in representing churches and other institutional uses.

Representative Cases

  • Rezoned a large parcel of undeveloped property in Fairfax County and obtained two special exceptions to permit development of an assisted living center and senior citizen residential facility.
  • Obtained many special permits for construction or expansion of church facilities.
  • Perform zoning surveys as part of real estate investment trust's due diligence study of potential shopping center purchases.
  • Obtained special exceptions for a number of commercial uses, including animal hospitals, concrete plants, health clubs, banks with drive-through windows, and service stations.
  • Rezoned a commercial property to permit its redevelopment as an approximately 300,000 square foot office complex.
  • Obtained amendments to Plans and Master Plans to permit later rezoning.
  • Challenge downzoning of commercial properties.
  • Monitor rezoning of properties in vicinity of clients' properties.