Talk To Doug Before You File A Zoning Application 

Doug was the Anne Arundel County Administrative Hearing Officer for over nine years, handling more than 3,000 cases involving variance, special exception, and rezoning applications. He heard many cases that could have benefitted from more analysis before the application was filed. For example, there were cases where the applicants and the County did not realize that another variance was needed until the case got to the hearing stage. If the public notice was not broad enough to include the newly discovered variance, some of those cases had to be postponed, which can set the administrative process back months. If the applicants were intending to sell the property and the sale was contingent upon obtaining a variance, a mistake like that could be very costly. In a worst-case situation, an application may have to be dismissed because the Code bars an application for the same relief for 18 months.

A few hours analyzing a new application may streamline the process, lower costs downstream, and point the applicants in a direction that gives them a greater chance of success. Legal representation is not always needed. In many cases, having Doug look over an application can provide the applicants, and their engineers, architects, and/or permit expediters, with enough information to carry on without further professional help (and expense). In other cases, lawyering up may turn out to be the way to go to get the applicants what they want.

What's involved? A phone call is free of charge. Costs and fees are discussed before any further work is begun.

When should you call Doug? Before you get too far down the road. Maybe before you talk to the County.

Doug can be reached at 410-533-8989 or Contact him at LawEur@gmail.com