Land Use and Entitlements

— HOW OUR LAND USE CONSULTANTS DETERMINE PROJECT FEASIBILITY —

Land Use and Entitlements

When a potential real estate development is being considered by a land owner or developer, there are many factors that can make or break a project’s feasibility and potential success.

Our highly experienced staff can identify, research, and analyze these factors to provide concrete information on project feasibility.

Click below to learn more about how we provide the following services:

Land Use Analysis

This type of analysis involves an in-depth review of the land use regulations that govern a particular piece of property.

We look at:

  • The community’s Comprehensive Future Land Use Plan
  • Current Zoning Designation
  • Surrounding uses
  • Compatible zoning changes
  • Building and design regulations

We also consider any land use encumbrances that could impede development, such as:

  • The presence of FEMA Floodplain
  • Locally-designated Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  • The presence of gas wells
  • Any other impediments to development

Your Land Use Analysis identifies the critical path, timeline, and milestones for successful development of a project.

Market Feasibility Analysis

This type of analysis examines the market/demand for a particular land use, such as:

  • Residential
  • Commercial
  • Retail
  • Industrial
  • Mixed-use

We study the developer’s intended use and goals and analyze the region to determine what extent that product type is needed or desired within the community, and at what monetary value.

Your Market Feasibility Analysis is a critical component to understanding the financial feasibility of a project.

Political Feasibility Analysis

This type of analysis looks at external factors that could influence the success or failure of a development project, particularly from a political standpoint.

If a contemplated development project requires any regulatory reviews and/or public hearings, local politics can become a very important factor.

We analyze the local/regional political landscape to:

  • Identify any potential opposition or concerns
  • Perform a risk assessment
  • Make strategy recommendations

Our Political Feasibility Analysis can help a developer understand the external variables within a specific community that influence their project.

Entitlements

The Urban Land Institute defines entitlements as:

“Legal rights conveyed by approvals from governmental entities to develop a property for a certain use, intensity, building type, or building placement.”

The Entitlement Process

Entitlements can be a major factor in the ultimate land use, viability, and value of your property. The entitlement process can be highly complex and confusing, and involves steps that vary from one place to another.

Our land use experts understand the entire entitlement process and can navigate a development project from raw land to full entitlements.

Generally, development projects are subject to multiple layers of regulation that must be navigated in sequence.

Typical sequential entitlements are as follows:

—STEP 1—

Adherence to the community/regional Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Plan

—STEP 2—

Appropriate Zoning Designation to allow for the intended land use

—STEP 3—

Various land development regulations/approvals

that involve:

- Site Plan Approval
- Preliminary and Final Plat Approval
- Civil Engineering Plans Approval
- Other approvals depending on local regulations and conditions of the property

—STEP 4—

Permitting Processes

including:

- Approval of Building Plans
- Issuance of Construction Permits
- Approval of a Certificate of Occupancy

 

Contact Us

Our land use consultants can assist a developer with any aspect of the entitlement process by handling

  • Complex Zoning Change Applications
  • Comprehensive Plan changes
  • Coordination (Project Management) of architects and engineers for timely submittals of all technical documents
  • All Permit Applications

Click to schedule a free informational meeting and proposal
CONTACT US