Matthew G. Roberts

Matthew Roberts is a shareholder at Bean, Kinney & Korman. His practice focuses on land use and zoning, administrative and municipal law, real estate and business transactions, and public utility matters.

Matt represents and advises clients in land use and zoning, permitting and subdivision matters throughout Northern Virginia, including Arlington County, Fairfax County, the City of Alexandria, the City of Fairfax, Prince William County and Loudoun County. Matt also serves as associate counsel to a Northern Virginia water and waste authority. 

His recent work includes submitting rezoning and special exception applications in Arlington County and Fairfax County, appearing before boards of zoning appeals on behalf of landowners and submitting administrative change approvals and zoning confirmation requests. Matt also regularly performs zoning due diligence on behalf of landowners and assists clients in subdivision and permitting matters, including advising clients on the vesting of site plans and subdivision plats under the Virginia and drafting easement agreements between landowners and various city, county and public utility authorities.

Matt’s practice also includes assisting clients in zoning litigation involving the interpretation of proffers and permit conditions and drafting pleadings in complex land use and property rights cases in state and federal courts. He also assists clients in drafting documents for the purchase and sale of real estate.

Prior to joining the firm, Matt worked as a land use and zoning attorney in private practice in Virginia, as well as an intern for the National Association of Home Builders in the legal department and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK) Office of Government Affairs. He also served as a law clerk for the Office of the Fairfax County Attorney and the City of Alexandria Office of the City Attorney. Matt’s experience working within local governments provides him a unique internal view of the matters before them.

Virginia Super Lawyers, Rising Star in Land Use/Zoning, 2015

• Due diligence and negotiation of third party solar power purchase agreements for various solar projects throughout Virginia.
• Lead counsel for approval of 1555 Wilson Boulevard, including rezoning and 4.1 Site Plan special exception applications to permit 1.2 million square feet of mixed-use residential and retail development in West Rosslyn.
• Approval of 2025 Clarendon Boulevard 4.1 Site Plan special exception application, rezoning and General Land Use Plan amendment in Arlington County, Virginia, for 195,000 square feet of mixed-use office and ground floor retail building in Courthouse neighborhood.
• Approval of Clarendon West 4.1 Site Plan special exception application in Arlington County, Virginia, for 580,000 square feet of mixed-use multi-phase development in Clarendon neighborhood, including 580 multi-family residential units and ground floor retail.
• Approval of Proffer Condition Amendment and Special Use Permit applications in Prince William County, Virginia for over 151,000 square feet of self-storage facility use.
• Approval of Columbia Pike Form Based Code application for historic commercial building.
• Approval of various amendments to approved 4.1 Site Plan special exception applications in Arlington County, Virginia, including changes in approved uses and amending timing to complete approved conditions.
• Obtained Arlington County Board approval for outdoor café spaces.
• Approval of residential, office and commercial subdivision plans, including air rights subdivisions, in Arlington County and Fairfax County, Virginia.

• Represented a developer in complex land use litigation against local government regarding the enforcement of proffers that were superseded by state law, including developing a strategy to sever the proffers and keep the developer’s rights under the rezoning. This resulted in the government’s unsuccessful motion to dismiss.

NAIOP

Leadership Arlington (Young Professionals Program)

Virginia Bar Association

Fairfax Bar Association

Arlington Bar Association

George Mason University Law School Alumni Association

When he isn’t deep into Virginia zoning laws, Matt enjoys cooking, playing the drums, weight training and spending time with his wife and cat.