Zoning and Land Use

Our Practice - What We Do
Snell & Wilmer's zoning and land use attorneys are experienced in developing and implementing land use visions for clients throughout the Western United States. We counsel and serve our clients on projects from inception to completion. It is the mission of the teams to work to understand and achieve each of our client's objectives. Whenever possible, we work "behind the scenes" with local government attorneys, planning staff, planning commissioners and elected officials to lay the ground work for our clients and their projects. We help design and implement strategies for public and government relations and advocacy and lobbying.

Our teams are well-versed in the legislative and administrative approval process affecting zoning, acquisition, development, leasing, sales/exchange or use of real estate. Our teams are prepared to defend our clients property rights through administrative appeal, alternative dispute resolution and litigation.

Snell & Wilmer's acquisition teams perform due diligence in coordinating title, survey, environmental, resources and other land use analyses and in negotiating letters of intent or leases. Our entitlement teams work to procure necessary permits and negotiate government inducements to foster project profitability. The development teams also have extensive experience with significant residential developments, office/industrial parks, retail stores, airports, resorts, shopping centers, institutional campuses and on a wide variety of other land uses. Since 1996, our teams have been “hands-on” in cutting-edge telecommunications leasing and site development projects.

Our attorneys share established relationships with local government officials to keep projects on schedule and on budget. Working with cities and counties throughout Arizona, California, Utah, Colorado and Nevada gives our attorneys experience in a wide variety of land use and zoning matters including:

• Due Diligence Reports
• Zoning Use Opinions
• Development Agreements
• Design Review
• Plat Approvals
• Dedications
• Easements and Rights-of-Way
• Private Covenants and Restrictions
• Local, State and Federal Licenses and Permits
• Federal and State Land Department Leases and Licenses
• Text Amendments to City and County Ordinances
• Takings & Exactions
• Non-Conforming Uses
• Hearings and Appeals
• Title Insurance
• Telecom Siting and Facilities Management
• Liquor Licenses
• Stadium and Arena Development
• Public Utility Licensing Application and Status
• Utility Service Contracts
• Facilities/Service Districts and Other Municipal
• Bonding Systems
• Water Rights and Use
• Brownfields Redevelopment and Funding
• Brownfields Voluntary Cleanup Agreements
• Superfund Prospective Purchaser Agreements

Our Attorneys - Who We Are
Snell & Wilmer maintains one of the largest zoning and land use practices in the Western region. We have teams of attorneys in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Orange County, California; Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colorado and Las Vegas, Nevada. For additional information about Snell & Wilmer's Zoning and Land Use teams, please contact Nicholas J. Wood directly at 602-382-6269 or nwood@swlaw.com.

Our Clients - Who We Represent
The Zoning and Land Use teams at our firm have played integral roles in developing and implementing the land use visions of fortune 100 and 500 companies, multi-state developers, and many other business and individual clients. We collectively possess decades of experience in representing the following types of clients throughout Arizona, Southern California, Utah, Colorado and Nevada.

• landowners
• developers
• builders
• commercial, retail and industrial operators
• communications companies
• energy companies
• oil and gas companies
• mining companies
• co-ops
• resort and golf course operators
• broadcast and advertising companies

Snell & Wilmer has assisted clients in a wide variety of land use sectors including:

• Telecommunications
• Outdoor Advertising
• Energy
• Commercial Leasing
• Master Planned Communities and Resorts
• Office and Industrial Parks
• Shopping Centers
• Oil and Gas
• Mining
• Manufacturing
• Public Transit Systems
• Institutional Campuses
• Airports

Our Experience - What We've Done
The Zoning and Land Use attorneys at Snell & Wilmer have extensive experience in matters involving subdivisions, conditional and special-use permits; variances and special exceptions; annexation and de-annexation; rezoning and general plan amendments; master plans; planned unit developments; vested rights applications; non-conforming uses; and hearings and appeals.

Our planning teams have been involved in significant legislative initiatives in Arizona, California, Utah, Colorado and Nevada. We are frequently a voice for development by presenting the perspectives of the industry. We advocate for policies implementing the objective of sound land use planning and zoning. Some team members frequently serve on ad hoc or duly constituted committees that review and influence recommendations relating to land use regulations and zoning. Our attorneys are well respected on both sides of the political scene and are known for their vigorous representation of client’s properties rights. On those rare occasions where litigation is necessary, our litigation teams are prepared to represent client objectives in the state and federal courts.

Representative Zoning and Rezoning Clients:

• “Big-Box” - representation of big-box retailers in various zoning projects throughout Metropolitan Phoenix
• Domino’s Pizza - restaurant location zoning throughout the state of Arizona
• Heard Museum - represented museum in the expansion of their central Phoenix corridor location
• Mayo Hospital - development agreement for hospital
• Outdoor Advertising - billboard permit applications and non-conforming use challenges in Arizona and Utah
• T-Mobile USA - wireless antenna site applications and ordinance revisions in local governments throughout Arizona, California, Colorado and Utah
• Toyota Proving Grounds - site approval through re-zoning of land for largest automobile proving grounds in the nation
• Williams-Gateway Airport - zoning, site development and land use litigation for build-out of rural personal communications service facilities network

External Links
AZ Planning Association Brownfields2004 National Association of Counties National Conference of State Legislatures National League of Cities State Law Resources, Inc.