Blogs

Construction

Protecting Your Brand: A Gift Not Reserved for the Holidays

In light of the recent holiday season, one thing that all construction industry professionals can agree on is that brand protection is a gift whose usefulness never ceases. You understand the significance of it. Your logo may appear on scaffolding, on the tops and sides of buildings, or in trade publications. Your workplace safety and…

February 6, 2015

Construction

Arlington County Retail Action Plan Update

On January 20, during a special work session open to the public, the County Board considered updates to the Arlington County Retail Action Plan (the “Retail Plan”). County Board members met with Arlington Economic Development staff, the Arlington Retail Task Force of the Economic Development Commission and members of the Planning Commission. In the audience…

February 4, 2015

Construction

Fairfax Circuit Court Limits Homeowners’ Ability to Challenge Zoning Administrator

Contentious land use approvals often result in lawsuits, which, even when unsuccessful, can lead to costly delays for developers. In the recent case styled In Re: November 20, 2013 Decision of the Board of Zoning Appeals of Fairfax County, the Fairfax County Circuit Court threw out one such legal challenge by homeowners to a controversial…

January 28, 2015

Construction

The City of Fairfax and Affordable Housing

Legislation proposed in the Virginia House of Delegates would give the City of Fairfax specific authority to adopt an affordable housing ordinance offering bonus development density in projects that provide an affordable housing component. Legislation at the state level is necessary, because under Virginia’s Dillon Rule a locality has only those powers that are expressly…

January 22, 2015

Construction

Arlington’s Expanding Technology Zones

Arlington’s County Board is set to expand the number of properties eligible for its Technology Zone tax incentive program. On December 13, the County Board will consider adding properties zoned Commercial/Mixed Use or Industrial to the list of qualifying properties. Currently, only properties located within one of the County’s four Technology Zones qualify for the…

December 10, 2014

Construction

Arlington’s New LEED Standards

On November 15th, the County Board of Arlington County voted 4-1 to adopt a revised incentives policy for its green building standards. While technically a “voluntary” component of 4.1 Site Plan applications, the County has long encouraged and planned for new buildings to be LEED certified. The revised policy includes the following changes: Projects must propose to achieve LEED Version 4 Silver certification, or above Commercial and Residential projects will receive the same base bonus…

December 5, 2014

Land Use & Zoning

­Changes are Coming to ISD

Changes may be on their way to Arlington County Inspection Services Division, according to Shahriar Amiri. Early this month, Mr. Amiri, director of Inspection Services for Arlington County, addressed NAIOP-Arlington and explained his plans to change the way permits are issued in Arlington County. In the next 6-9 months, a cashier will be added to the 10th floor of the Arlington County building at Courthouse, allowing for more convenient payment for permitting and zoning applications.…

December 5, 2014

Construction

D.C. Office of Planning Takes a Stand Against Pop-Ups With New Zoning Text Amendment

Sustained population growth in the District of Columbia in recent years has spurred a rapid wave of construction throughout the city as upscale condominium projects appear to spring up almost overnight to meet growing demand for housing. But while residential development has been a welcome sign of revitalization in areas from U Street to NoMa,…

September 16, 2014

Construction

Look! Up in the Sky! It’s a…Plane!: Proposed FAA Policy Could Affect Building Heights

The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area has no shortage of airplanes flying over the region. There is also no shortage of developers and landowners who want to create the region’s landmark buildings and skyscrapers which may fall within flight paths. These developers would rightfully be concerned that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a change…

June 20, 2014

Construction

Rules for Local and Out-of-State Construction Companies

The construction industry is all too familiar with its perception as a means by which individual and corporate citizens alike may experience economic opportunity. Whether at the federal, state, or municipal level, set-aside programs exist to give small, local, and other discrete businesses the ability to compete for lucrative construction contracts. Efforts to support local…

June 12, 2014