The Ins-and-Outs of Planning Commission

Large new developments and other high-volume projects often require a hearing with the local planning commission to determine if the project fits into the city’s master plan. Planning commission meetings are open to the general public and allow affected parties, such as neighbors and nearby property owners, to make comments and provide input. We have attended and represented clients at many planning commission meetings, so we are here to break it down for our readers and disclose the ins and outs of planning commission. What is a Planning Commission? Planning commissions are comprised of five or seven representatives who are …

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Sep 7, 2018 By admin

Why Pre-Submittal Reviews Help Us Stay Proactive

When we are introduced to a large-scale project such as a shopping center or a high-rise building, we know it’s time to conduct some serious due diligence. If you’re not familiar with this term, it means that we are getting a comprehensive understanding of the project and its permitting and entitlement requirements. We conduct a ton of research on the jurisdiction, zoning district, applicable municipal departments, and more. Throughout this process, we often find that it’s extremely beneficial to review the schematic design with municipal departments to determine what requirements may be triggered by the scope of work. We call …

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Aug 27, 2018 By admin

Planning and Permitting a Parking Structure

According to a 2013 transportation study, most cars are parked 95% of the time. While this may have changed since 2013, let’s face it – our cars are still parked a lot of the time. Therefore, parking structures, especially in big cities and large shopping centers, are worth talking about. New parking structures are typically required for large-scale projects such as ground-up buildings or mixed-use developments. Planning and permitting a parking structure can be daunting especially in certain jurisdictions. There are a few key components to take into consideration when planning and permitting a parking structure. Let’s dive in… Planning …

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Aug 17, 2018 By admin

Permitting a New Development/Shell Building

We’ve talked a lot about Tenant Improvement (TI) permits, but not much has been said in terms of permitting a ground-up construction project or “core and shell.” If you’re not familiar with this industry-specific term, it refers to a base building with minimal fixtures that allows tenants to build it out to better fit their needs. Developers will build core and shell buildings for shopping centers, office spaces, restaurants, retail stores, and more. Let’s talk about what goes into permitting a core and shell building. Demolition Permits When removing an existing building prior to constructing a core and shell, a …

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Aug 13, 2018 By admin