Do your homework: Zoning Laws and the Pitfalls of Buying Vacant Property
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Written by: Olaun Simmons Buying vacant land can be a great investment, but it’s important to do your homework before making any purchases. One major consideration is zoning laws, which can have a significant impact on what you can and cannot do with your property....
Read More New Water and Sewer Allocation Ordinance Does Not Constitute an Unconstitutional Taking
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Written by: Guy Jeffress The recent case of PEM Entities LLC v. County of Franklin (2023 WL 105711), out of the United States Court of Appeals (the “Court”), reminds us that the imposition of new rules or restrictions by a local government, although onerous in...
Read More Are You Keeping Proper Records?
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Written by: Guy Jeffress The recent federal case of Renee Mason, DPM, v. Brian Mazzei, Et Al., 2023 WL 234777, out of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, highlights the importance of adhering to proper record-keeping formalities, even if you are...
Read More Concept Of “Disguised,” Or “De Facto” Dividends Discussed In Recent Maryland Case.
Wednesday, January 18, 2023
Written by: Guy Jeffress Edward MEKHAYA v. EASTLAND FOOD CORPORATION, et al., 2022 WL 17843057 Appellate Court of Maryland (formerly the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland) In a first for Maryland, the Appellate Court of Maryland, relying on persuasive authority from other jurisdictions, paved...
Read More The Mixed Use District – A Flexible Approach to Use and Density
Wednesday, August 17, 2022
Written by: Olaun Simmons, Esq. In 2021, Prince William County adopted a new zoning district entitled “Mixed Use District (MXD).” The new Mixed Use District seeks to provide a thoughtful approach to development because it allows for flexible land development, promotestransit-oriented development, and encourages a mix...
Read More The Importance of A Guaranty.
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
Written by: Guy Jeffress The decision of the Supreme Court of Virginia in Grayson v. Westwood Buildings L.P., 300 Va. 25, 859 S.E.2d 651 (2021) highlights the need to confirm a tenant’s financial ability to pay the rent during the term of a lease and...
Read More Abandoned Permits
Monday, May 16, 2022
Written by: Guy Jeffress On April 25, 2022, Prince William County Development Services, Building Development Division, issued Policy 1.03 entitled Abandoned Building Permits and Applications and is in the process of auditing and revoking “abandoned” permit applications and issued permits. In general, an issued permit...
Read More Prince William County Ranked 6th Place Nationally
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Written by: Guy Jeffress In April 2022, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (aka “NAIOP”), released the results of their national Developer Approvals Index study. The results of the study ranked Prince William County, Virginia in sixth place nationally, with an overall weighted score of...
Read More DON’T RISK YOUR BUSINESS BY IGNORING VIOLATION NOTICES.
Monday, March 14, 2022
Written by: Guy Jeffress In a January 2022 unpublished opinion, the Court of Appeals of Virginia upheld the immediate revocation of a certificate of occupancy for a hospitality venue located in Fairfax County, effectively closing the business. The revocation was based in part on a...
Read More Reporting Requirements For “Non-Financed” Real Estate Transactions In The Works
Thursday, January 13, 2022
Written by: Guy Jeffress On Wednesday, December 8, 2021, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”), a bureau of the U.S. Treasury that works to safeguard the U.S. financial system from illicit use and money laundering, and to promote national security, issued an advance notice of...
Read More City of Manassas Approves Special Use Permit for Building Expansion
Friday, December 17, 2021
Written by: Olaun Simmons City of Manassas Approves Special Use Permit for Building Expansion Olaun Simmons of Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, P.C. represented the Prince William Islamic Center in their pursuit of a special use permit to expand their place of worship located on Mathis...
Read More Phase I Environmental Site Assessment – updated standard requirements
Thursday, December 9, 2021
Written by: Guy Jeffress Phase I Environmental Site Assessment – updated standard requirements On November 1, 2021, ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials) approved revisions to the ASTM 1527 standard, more commonly known as a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Report. Once...
Read More Resources to Help Employers Respond to Workplace Issues From COVID-19 (Corona Virus)
Monday, March 23, 2020
By: Kristina Keech Spitler, Esquire FOR THE MOST UP TO DATE INFO, PLEASE VISIT OUR COVID-19 PAGE DOWNLOAD THE REPORT FOR PRINT Given the fast-paced and changing nature of the impacts of the COVID-19 (Corona Virus) pandemic, businesses are working to respond in the best...
Read More Six Attorneys Named Legal Elite in 2019
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, P.C. is proud to announce that six of its attorneys have been recognized by the Virginia Business Magazine as being among Virginia’s “Legal Elite” within their various practice categories. All of the attorneys named have been nominated as Legal Elite in the...
Read More Qualified Opportunity Zone Funds
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Tax reform legislation enacted in 2017 created the opportunity for significant new capital gains tax benefits for investors in qualified opportunity funds (QOFs). The primary purpose of the law is to create economic development as well as job creation in economically distressed communities. The Treasury,...
Read More So What Did Change with the New Proffer Law?
Friday, July 19, 2019
In our first blog post on the 2019 Virginia proffer legislation, we told you what hasn’t changed with the new law. As promised, now we will address what has changed. Myth: Under the new law, localities have no liability exposure for unreasonable demands unless the...
Read More Book Smarts…VF&N attorney, textbook contributor
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Pictured above: VF&N land use and zoning attorney, Karen Cohen, with legendary engineer, Sid Dewberry, PE, LS, Chairman Emeritus, Dewberry, Kat Grimsley, Director of the MS Real Estate Development program at George Mason University, and the team of book contributors, celebrating the publication of the...
Read More Land use and zoning explained: Repurposing an established building through a special use permit
Thursday, May 2, 2019
The commercial real estate and property sector in Northern Virginia and Prince William County has experienced fluctuations in recent years which resulted in vacant buildings. For the owners of these properties, they’re left with a tough decision – let the property stay vacant or repurpose...
Read More 2019 Virginia Proffer Law Changes: Myths Unraveled
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
As attorneys and self-proclaimed Proffer Professors, we were concerned by what we were hearing from the industry on the recent proffer reform. Blanket statements like, “oh, it’s just a repeal of the 2016 law” or “proffer schedules are legal now”. In this post, we clear...
Read More FINDING COMMON GROUND ON PROFFER REFORM IN VIRGINIA
Thursday, December 27, 2018
Since its controversial passage in 2016, Virginia’s Proffer Reform Law has continued to stir debate. Despite the rift between homebuilders and local governments over the law, efforts are underway to find common ground. Initially, opponents of the law sought either outright repeal or additional exemptions...
Read More General Contractors Beware of New Maryland Law
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
by Guy R. Jeffress, Esq. The Maryland General Assembly passed Senate Bill 853, which took effect on October 1, 2018, that added the following text to Section 3-507.2 of the Maryland Code, Labor & Employment: In an action brought under subsection (a) of this section,...
Read More The Landing At Cannon Branch Moves Forward with Grants
Friday, August 25, 2017
On Wednesday, representatives from the City of Manassas came together with Governor Terry McAuliffe and Buchanan Partners to announce the receipt of grants permitting the construction of a new brewery and restaurant in the commercial development of the Gateway Center, now known as The Landing...
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