Blogs

Construction

Arlington’s New Take on Density Exclusions

A new memorandum issued by Arlington County’s Director of the Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development, Bob Brosnan, is proposing to change which areas in a building developers can expect to exclude from density calculations in a 4.1 Site Plan application.

February 25, 2015

Construction

Legal Steps to Start a Construction Company in Virginia

I am often asked, “What are the basic steps of starting a construction company?” We help with many of these steps, but we also advise clients how to do it on their own. Here are some of the basic steps. Create Your Entity Given the threat of personal injuries and property damages, construction contractors and…

February 11, 2015

Construction

Protecting Your Brand: A Gift Not Reserved for the Holidays

In light of the recent holiday season, one thing that all construction industry professionals can agree on is that brand protection is a gift whose usefulness never ceases. You understand the significance of it. Your logo may appear on scaffolding, on the tops and sides of buildings, or in trade publications. Your workplace safety and…

February 6, 2015

Construction

Arlington County Retail Action Plan Update

On January 20, during a special work session open to the public, the County Board considered updates to the Arlington County Retail Action Plan (the “Retail Plan”). County Board members met with Arlington Economic Development staff, the Arlington Retail Task Force of the Economic Development Commission and members of the Planning Commission. In the audience…

February 4, 2015

Construction

Fairfax Circuit Court Limits Homeowners’ Ability to Challenge Zoning Administrator

Contentious land use approvals often result in lawsuits, which, even when unsuccessful, can lead to costly delays for developers. In the recent case styled In Re: November 20, 2013 Decision of the Board of Zoning Appeals of Fairfax County, the Fairfax County Circuit Court threw out one such legal challenge by homeowners to a controversial…

January 28, 2015

Construction

The City of Fairfax and Affordable Housing

Legislation proposed in the Virginia House of Delegates would give the City of Fairfax specific authority to adopt an affordable housing ordinance offering bonus development density in projects that provide an affordable housing component. Legislation at the state level is necessary, because under Virginia’s Dillon Rule a locality has only those powers that are expressly…

January 22, 2015

Construction

Arlington’s Expanding Technology Zones

Arlington’s County Board is set to expand the number of properties eligible for its Technology Zone tax incentive program. On December 13, the County Board will consider adding properties zoned Commercial/Mixed Use or Industrial to the list of qualifying properties. Currently, only properties located within one of the County’s four Technology Zones qualify for the…

December 10, 2014

Construction

Amendment to the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act

Changes to the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act will be effective March 29, 2015. These changes will exempt condominium developers from the filing and registration requirements of the Interstate Land Sales Act. This amendment will eliminate the need for condominium developers to register condominium projects with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and to provide condominium unit purchasers with the property reports and contractual protections required under the Interstate Land…

December 5, 2014

Construction

Arlington’s New LEED Standards

On November 15th, the County Board of Arlington County voted 4-1 to adopt a revised incentives policy for its green building standards. While technically a “voluntary” component of 4.1 Site Plan applications, the County has long encouraged and planned for new buildings to be LEED certified. The revised policy includes the following changes: Projects must propose to achieve LEED Version 4 Silver certification, or above Commercial and Residential projects will receive the same base bonus…

December 5, 2014

Construction

D.C. Office of Planning Takes a Stand Against Pop-Ups With New Zoning Text Amendment

Sustained population growth in the District of Columbia in recent years has spurred a rapid wave of construction throughout the city as upscale condominium projects appear to spring up almost overnight to meet growing demand for housing. But while residential development has been a welcome sign of revitalization in areas from U Street to NoMa,…

September 16, 2014