By Jay P. Derr on Posted in Development,Environmental,Growth Management Act,Land Use,MunicipalPartner Jay Derr testified before the State Legislature, sharing perspective on local land use and environmental regulations in the State of Washington. Insight was given on the Growth Management Act (GMA), the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), the Shoreline Management Act (SMA), the various growth management boards throughout the State, and numerous specialized development and … Continue Reading
By Ray Liaw on Posted in Development,Land Use,MunicipalSkanska USA is poised to become the second developer participating in the City of Seattle’s “living building” pilot program. The living building program offers incentives to develop green building projects by allowing the City to modify development standards for buildings that meet a set of sustainability criteria. The Seattle Times is reporting that Skanska USA … Continue Reading
By Duncan M. Greene on Posted in Climate Change,Development,Growth Management Act,Land Use,Land Use PlanningThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just released a report assessing the feasibility of incorporating climate change impacts into planning and decision-making for land preservation efforts by government agencies and nonprofit land trusts. The report reviewed existing decision-making processes for selected land protection programs and suggested strategies for better incorporating climate change into those processes. These … Continue Reading
By Jay P. Derr on Posted in Growth Management Act,Land Use,MunicipalThe Florida State Legislature repealed its growth management legislation last spring. While Florida’s repeal still permits local jurisdictions to implement growth management planning tools by their own choice, there are no longer state mandates (nor state oversight) in Florida to do so. Economic development and jobs were the key reasons articulated for the repeal. Washington’s Growth … Continue Reading
By Saira Rhodes on Posted in UncategorizedPartner Molly Lawrence was named Best Lawyers’ 2012 Seattle Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers, the oldest and one of the most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession. Congrats Molly!! … Continue Reading
By Duncan M. Greene on Posted in Development,Environmental,Growth Management Act,Land UseA legislative audit committee has issued a report stating that that the Puget Sound Partnership has failed to meet Legislative directives for the restoration of Puget Sound. This report will likely spur the Partnership to move more quickly toward taking concrete action, including advocating for stricter development regulations. In 2007, the Legislature created the Puget Sound … Continue Reading
By Ray Liaw on Posted in Development,Land UseDigital billboards have become a hotly debated topic in the Puget Sound area. In August, the City of Tacoma voted to revise their sign code and prohibit digital billboards, including a new type of display that sequences still images in a “slide show” style. Tacoma’s ban on digital billboards has already triggered litigation between the … Continue Reading
