Primary Attorney Contact(s): Melody B. McCutcheon

HELP AT THE BEGINNING CAN SAVE TIME, MONEY, AND FRUSTRATION.

An experienced land use attorney can be an essential part of your due diligence and feasibility analysis. Our breadth of experience and proven track record are second to none. We enjoy our work and bring our energy and enthusiasm to representation of our clients.

We help you answer crucial questions like: What is the legal status of the existing use? Is the existing use or property subject to environmental cleanup requirements? Are there any pending code violations or enforcement proceedings? What can you do with the property under zoning and other regulations? And by when? Are there pending code changes? What is the political climate for interpreting existing land use and environmental laws, or for getting those laws changed?

Can my property goals be achieved? Our research and advice have paid off for clients, especially in the early phases of property investigation. Here are just a few of the feasibility analyses we have done for clients:

• Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Company in an analysis of entitlement options for 2,200 acres of former Weyerhaeuser timberland between the I-90/SR-18 interchange and the City of Snoqualmie. This analysis led to strategic planning and phased entitlements the property, developed as Snoqualmie Ridge.

• 360networks, Inc. in assessing the ability to obtain timely SEPA review and permitting for a submarine fiber-optic cable landing in Washington state as part of a network expansion linking Japan, Hawaii, and Vancouver, British Columbia.

• Hewlett-Packard in evaluating its acquisition of property in Snohomish County for manufacturing and administrative facilities.

• Port of Seattle in its acquisition and phased public/private development of 18 acres on the Seattle Waterfront, with the most extensive package of street vacations ever processed by the City of Seattle.

What is the best strategic plan for property development? As you contemplate land acquisition and future property development, we believe it is critical to develop a strategic plan at the beginning. Based on our extensive experience with many different types of projects, we excel at developing an appropriate strategy for obtaining permits and entitlements, as well as addressing government and community relations. We also can assist you with the "big picture" thinking to help you analyze what type of expertise you need on your team, and when you need it. Here are a few examples of strategic plans we have developed with clients:

• Port of Seattle in acquiring permits and other entitlements for a 100-acre expansion of Terminal 5 based on a highly aggressive schedule, with severe financial penalties for any delays in facility completion.

• Seattle Mariners in obtaining permits and approvals for Safeco Field, involving site selection, project design, and mitigation of community impacts.

• Intracorp Real Estate, L.L.C. in EIS preparation, negotiation of a complex development agreement and phasing plan, and drafting of approval procedures for a master planned community containing 1,735 residential units, 800,000 square feet of office space, and 50,000 square feet of commercial space in Talus in the City of Issaquah.

• Weyerhaeuser Company in pre-annexation planning and drafting of land use controls and procedures for annexation of its corporate headquarters campus to the City of Federal Way.

• Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Company and Quadrant Corporation in comprehensive planning, zoning, interlocal agreements, annexation, Mixed Use Final Plan approval, and establishment of approval processes for development of up to 4,400 homes, 100 acres of business park, 10 acres of retail uses, a PGA Tour golf course, parks, trails and other public facilities for Snoqualmie Ridge in the City of Snoqualmie.

• Trendwest Properties in developing a strategy for subarea planning, zoning, annexation, revision of city codes, and preparation of a development agreement laying out the process for subsequent mixed use development of 1,100 acres in the City of Cle Elum's Urban Growth Area.

Shaping Land Use and Transportation Plans. We routinely monitor, comment on, and help shape land use and transportation plans throughout the Northwest, on behalf of clients with current or future development plans. Examples include Sound Transit alignments in Bellevue and Redmond, and new height and density regulations in Seattle for South Lake Union and South Downtown.

We're serious about what we do, but we're also fun to work with. We genuinely enjoy working with our clients directly and as part of their team. Our clients can see our dedication to their goals.