Our firm represents clients in land use and environmental cases in administrative agencies in Maryland and Washington, D.C., Maryland’s trial and appellate courts, the federal trial courts in Maryland, the federal appellate court in Richmond, and appellate courts in Washington, D.C. Mr. Nelson has been recognized as a Maryland “Super Lawyer” in the area of Environmental Litigation since 2015. Mr. Nelson’s associate Grant Giel graduated from Cornell Law School in 2018 and joined the firm in June 2019, and is a Maryland “Rising Star” in the area of Land Use/Zoning. Mr. Nelson’s associate Alex Votaw graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2021 and joined the firm in November 2021.
RECENT SUCCESSES
January 11, 2023 – The Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County vacated the decision of the City of Annapolis Planning Commission to approve a Forest Conservation Plan for the removal of over 40 acres of priority forest and 64 significant trees.
October 27, 2022 – The Administrative Hearing Officer for Anne Arundel County denied an application for a special exception for a gun range located between a school and a youth athletic facility.
July 18, 2022 – The Howard County Zoning Board denied a developer’s Request for Amendment of the Columbia-New Town Preliminary Development Plan for a Major Village Redevelopment.
February 25, 2022 – The Court of Special Appeals struck down a council bill, CB‑9, in Howard County v. McClain, on the grounds that it constituted an illegal special law.
September 3, 2021 – The Howard County Planning Board recommended to the Howard County Zoning Board that it deny the petition of G & R Maple Lawn to amend the Maple Lawn Farms Preliminary Development Plan.
February 14, 2020 - The Circuit Court for Prince George’s County declared invalid CB-18-2019 and CB-19-2019 because the District Council failed to provide the required public notice of the hearings at which it considered the council bills. These bills would have enabled the development of an Amazon Fulfillment Center in Westphalia.