HCMP - Permits & Entitlements

Permits and Entitlements

Streamlining the challenges facing developers and property owners in permitting and construction.

Put simply, we specialize in land use permits and entitlements. Our attorneys provide creative advice to help you develop the appropriate environmental review and permitting strategy at the outset of your project. We also achieve extraordinary success in obtaining the necessary permits and entitlements. Nothing pleases us more than hearing from clients that we have achieved what they felt no one else could accomplish for them. And we receive those compliments frequently.

There is a real difference in the way we work. We are able to advocate forcefully for our clients' positions, but we do so in a way which preserves our excellent reputation and working relationships with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies in Washington. In fact, when you hire HCMP to address your land use matters, you get the considerable benefits of our reputation and the relationships we have built. Maintaining respect and trust is what it's all about.

We have extensive experience in helping prepare and process development proposals for vacant property, as well as proposals for expansion or renovation of developed sites. We have particular experience with all types of shoreline projects, permits for in-water work, and advising clients on Endangered Species Act compliance.

Large-scale residential and commercial projects. Our firm has been involved in many of the major real estate developments in Washington during the last decades, including large-scale residential and commercial development projects. For example, we have represented the following private entities in obtaining permits and entitlements.

But you don't have to be big, to seek our help. Although the prior examples stress the "big" projects we work on, we also readily apply our expertise to other types of projects. Individual homeowners, small and medium-sized residential and commercial developers, specialized entities, and community groups all rely on us for help.

Given the depth of our experience, we are able to cost-effectively participate in solving legal issues on all types of projects.

Public projects. The experience we bring to private residential and commercial projects also enables us to represent governmental agencies in their land use matters. Our extensive experience and successes are described in Government Representation.

Other services. In addition to work on specific projects, we provide the following services to private clients, where applicable:

We advise a number of businesses and trade associations, including the Association of Washington Businesses, on legislative matters relating to land use, water rights, and environmental law.

Our firm's ability to make productive contributions to our clients' long-range land use planning efforts also is enhanced by our excellent working relationships with numerous consultants with specialties in wetlands and sensitive areas, hydrology and fisheries, geology and structural engineering, and transportation impact analysis. We are an extension of your organization and team.

Others frequently use us as a resource. Attorneys in our firm have written and lectured extensively on legal issues associated with land use and development, the Endangered Species Act, the Growth Management Act, and environmental statutes and regulations. Members of the firm have authored sections of Bar Association "deskbooks" relied upon by city and county land use planners and attorneys. T. Ryan Durkan was selected by Governor Locke to chair the State's Land Use Study Commission, to reform state and local land use procedures. Melody B. McCutcheon was selected by the University of Washington faculty to teach land use and environmental law courses at the Law School.

The expertise of our paralegals is essential to our success. In addition to the services of our attorneys, we make extensive use of paralegals who specialize in submitting and monitoring permits, and getting them issued. Our paralegals understand the local permit process inside and out. Because of our firm's reputation, and the skill of our staff, our paralegals offer clients unique permit monitoring services, so at any time clients know how their permits are progressing. For clients with high volumes of permit activity, we maintain a computerized permit tracking system.

	Putting clients first accounts for HCMP's long-standing relationships.

	Permits and Entitlements Streamlining the challenges facing developers and property owners in permitting and construction. Put simply, we specialize in land use permits and entitlements. Our attorneys provide creative advice to help you develop the appropriate environmental review and permitting strategy at the outset of your project. We also achieve extraordinary success in obtaining the necessary permits and entitlements. Nothing pleases us more than hearing from clients that we have achieved what they felt no one else could accomplish for them. And we receive those compliments frequently. There is a real difference in the way we work. We are able to advocate forcefully for our clients' positions, but we do so in a way which preserves our excellent reputation and working relationships with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies in Washington. In fact, when you hire HCMP to address your land use matters, you get the considerable benefits of our reputation and the relationships we have built. Maintaining respect and trust is what it's all about. We have extensive experience in helping prepare and process development proposals for vacant property, as well as proposals for expansion or renovation of developed sites. We have particular experience with all types of shoreline projects, permits for in-water work, and advising clients on Endangered Species Act compliance. Large-scale residential and commercial projects. Our firm has been involved in many of the major real estate developments in Washington during the last decades, including large-scale residential and commercial development projects. For example, we have represented the following private entities in obtaining permits and entitlements. Seattle Mariners in the site selection and permitting of the new ballpark. Washington Mutual in obtaining entitlements for the Washington Mutual - Seattle Art Museum project on the site next to the existing downtown Museum. The Seattle Land Use Code needed to be amended to allow this unique partnership to occur. The amendments were approved unanimously by the City Council, and all permits and approvals were obtained on an ambitious schedule. Seattle Art Museum. We represented the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) in connection with land use matters relating to SAM's proposed Olympic Sculpture park, which will transform a seven-acre site in the heart of the city into a public open space dedicated to the exhibition of outdoor sculpture. The project involves transfer of development rights (TDRs), as well as other unique land use considerations. Weyerhaeuser Company in the annexation and development of its corporate headquarters site. Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Company in City of Snoqualmie and State agency approval for annexation of 1,340 acres; permits, approvals, and financing agreements for new water, stormwater, and tertiary wastewater treatment systems and major roadways; and land division and construction permit approvals for development of the Snoqualmie Ridge master planned community. The Quadrant Corporation with respect to proposed master plan developments in the Bear Creek/Novelty Hill area of King County, the Quadrant Business Park and Quadrant Monte Villa Business Park in Bothell, and numerous residential and mixed-use projects in Seattle and King County. The Quadrant Corporation with respect to proposed master plan developments in the Bear Creek/Novelty Hill area of King County, the Quadrant Business Park and Quadrant Monte Villa Business Park in Bothell, and numerous residential and mixed-use projects in Seattle and King County. Lowe Enterprises Northwest in all phases of its Klahanie master planned residential development in King County. Pine Street Associates in obtaining necessary permits for the redevelopment of three blocks in the downtown Seattle retail core. MountainStar Resort Development, LLC in its development of the 6,217-acre Suncadia master planned resort and the 1,100-acre Cle Elum Urban Growth Area property in Kittitas County, which include land use matters, regional infrastructure improvements, community governance and City and County permits. Mitsubishi International Corporation as regional counsel for real estate investment and development decisions. PACCAR, Inc. in environmental review and permitting for its Kenworth Truck manufacturing facility in Renton, including City permits for remediation of contaminated soils on an 80-acre site. Nitze-Stagen & Company. Our firm has represented Nitze-Stagen & Company (NSCO) in connection with several Seattle area developments. We successfully obtained all of the approvals for the Union Station Planned Community Development, a 1.1 million square foot office development that includes offices for a number of Seattle's premier high-tech ventures. We also represented NSCO in connection with the renovation of a large warehouse building that now serves as Starbucks' headquarters in Seattle. We have also assisted NSCO in connection with the development of a premier high-rise residential tower sponsored by the Frye Art Museum. Glacier Northwest. Our firm represents Glacier Northwest (formerly Lone Star Northwest), the region's largest sand and gravel producer, in connection with its real estate and land use matters. We successfully obtained all federal and state permits for a barging transshipment facility in DuPont, Washington. The project involved city council hearings, Shorelines Hearings Board appeals, Superior Court appeals, and successful negotiation of a settlement with environmental groups and the State Department of Ecology. Triad Development. We represented Triad Development in connection with several Seattle area office developments, including the renovation of Pier 70 which is now occupied by restaurant and office uses. (We were very pleased that Triad's Pier 70 development received NAIOP's redevelopment of the year award in 2000.) We have also assisted Triad in obtaining a rezone for mixed use residential development in the North Lake Union area of Seattle. Top But you don't have to be big, to seek our help. Although the prior examples stress the "big" projects we work on, we also readily apply our expertise to other types of projects. Individual homeowners, small and medium-sized residential and commercial developers, specialized entities, and community groups all rely on us for help. Given the depth of our experience, we are able to cost-effectively participate in solving legal issues on all types of projects. Public projects. The experience we bring to private residential and commercial projects also enables us to represent governmental agencies in their land use matters. Our extensive experience and successes are described in Government Representation. Other services. In addition to work on specific projects, we provide the following services to private clients, where applicable: Ordinance and Legislation Drafting Consensus Building and Conflict Resolution, including Interjurisdictional Agreements Land Use Appeals and Litigation We advise a number of businesses and trade associations, including the Association of Washington Businesses, on legislative matters relating to land use, water rights, and environmental law. Our firm's ability to make productive contributions to our clients' long-range land use planning efforts also is enhanced by our excellent working relationships with numerous consultants with specialties in wetlands and sensitive areas, hydrology and fisheries, geology and structural engineering, and transportation impact analysis. We are an extension of your organization and team. Others frequently use us as a resource. Attorneys in our firm have written and lectured extensively on legal issues associated with land use and development, the Endangered Species Act, the Growth Management Act, and environmental statutes and regulations. Members of the firm have authored sections of Bar Association "deskbooks" relied upon by city and county land use planners and attorneys. T. Ryan Durkan was selected by Governor Locke to chair the State's Land Use Study Commission, to reform state and local land use procedures. Melody B. McCutcheon was selected by the University of Washington faculty to teach land use and environmental law courses at the Law School. The expertise of our paralegals is essential to our success. In addition to the services of our attorneys, we make extensive use of paralegals who specialize in submitting and monitoring permits, and getting them issued. Our paralegals understand the local permit process inside and out. Because of our firm's reputation, and the skill of our staff, our paralegals offer clients unique permit monitoring services, so at any time clients know how their permits are progressing. For clients with high volumes of permit activity, we maintain a computerized permit tracking system. See also Feasibility Analysis and Strategic Planning, Real Estate Transactions, and Environmental. For More Information Contact: T. Ryan Durkan or Richard R. Wilson. Top	"During the construction of SAFECO Field we faced numerous land use and environmental permitting hurdles. To overcome these challenges, many different groups had to come together. HCMP did an outstanding job bringing ALL parties together in a timely and mutually beneficial manner." Chuck Armstrong, President, Seattle Mariners
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