Overview
Zoning and Land Use Attorneys Who Understand How Cities Work
Our knowledge and experience in real estate entitlements, zoning, land use, and development is the sweet spot of our firm.
Utilizing our unique public sector knowledge, and years of private sector representations, we have worked with the full spectrum of real estate interests on all manner of land development projects in Illinois. Big and small, and urban infill, rural, suburban, or in metropolitan and densely populated areas, we have negotiated and obtained land development entitlements for the widest variety of uses and developments, including single family and multi-family detached or attached residential, commercial, industrial, retail, office, historic landmarks, recreational, data centers, equestrian facilities, local and regional shopping centers, intermodal facilities, open space, recreational facilities, and transit-oriented projects, to name just some.
We have prepared and negotiated a full range of annexation and development agreements, for large complex matters and projects as well as for smaller developments and redevelopment.
We have been called upon to formulate and implement innovative and practical solutions to complex, multi-party land disputes. We also know all of the options for a private land owner or developer when entitlements are unreasonably denied, including the complicated and seldom-used law of disconnection. We write clear, fair, and enforceable annexation, subdivision, and development agreements that stand the test of time.
In the course of our private sector work, we have partnered with the major third-party consultants involved in land development in Illinois.
This includes experts in engineering (for water, sanitary sewer, stormwater, and other utility matters), traffic and parking, fiscal impacts, economic analysis, environmental impacts, stormwater and wetlands mitigation issues, and financial and other related transactional matters. Our clients regularly call on us to recommend and vet these consultants in the course of putting together the appropriate entitlement team for a given project.
Our entitlement work often involves a public component, and at this we excel. We are excellent public speakers, because we have decades of on the job training — both for our public and private sector clients.
We know how to organize clear and effective written and oral entitlement presentations. We know all of the parliamentary and procedural and substantive rules related to a public body’s consideration of entitlement approvals. Our reputation as highly respected entitlement practitioners precedes us, and we know how to be forceful and persuasive, but always respectful and considerate. We know how to count votes and read a public body, and we know when it makes sense to push for a vote or regroup and come back with adjustments to address reasonable requests for changes.