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Overview

The 22nd Annual Land Use Conference offers high-level, detailed coverage of the key issues, strategies, challenges, tools, and opportunities facing municipalities, counties, and developers. It focuses on real-world problems with practical solutions presented by an outstanding faculty, including developers' attorneys, land use planners, local government attorneys, engineers, and state and local regulators.
2018 highlights include:
  • Case law and legislative updates, including key updates on topics such as public rights of way, annexation, state preemption, permits, flooding and floodplains.
  • Analyze the impacts of Reed v. Town of Gilbert on regulations including signs, charitable bins, and solicitation.
  • Explore the use and development of emergency management plans before, during, and after a disaster.
  • Examine the implications that the current social political climate has on land use and development.
  • Review how zoning and economic development efforts can encourage the emergence of creative and other special districts.
  • Hear how a backyard home brewing operation turned distribution brewery is supporting the revitalization efforts of downtown Taylor, Texas.
  • Look at land use issues including projects outside corporate limits, county authority and ETJ, infill development, and much more.
Earn up to 14.50 hours of CLE credit, including 2.00 hours of ethics credit, and the opportunity to network with your fellow land use professionals.
Come a day early for Land Use Fundamentals—the perfect introduction or refresher.

Event Schedule

Program is subject to change.

  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Thursday Morning, Mar. 22, 2018
    Presiding Officer:
    Joseph J. Gorfida Jr., Nichols, Jackson, Dillard, Hager & Smith L.L.P. - Dallas, TX
  • 7:30 am
    Austin Only
    Registration Opens
    Includes continental breakfast.

  • 8:20 am
    Welcoming Remarks

  • 8:30 am
    1.00 hr
    Land Use Update
    A quick survey of recent land use cases with a review of 2017 state legislation, including key updates on state preemption, permits (enforcement), flooding and floodplains, takings, and more.

    James L. Dougherty Jr., Attorney at Law - Houston, TX

  • 9:30 am
    0.75 hr
    SB 1004 and Public Rights of Way
    An analysis of the 2017 Texas statute sharply curtailing municipal decision making authority as it regards wireless “network nodes” and other facilities (including poles and cables) in public rights of way (S.B. 1004, now chapter 284 of the Local Government Code) and including discussion of municipal ordinances and design manuals allowed under the new statute.

    Cathy Meyer Cunningham, Boyle & Lowry - Irving, TX
    Don Knight, Dallas City Attorneys Office - Dallas, TX

  • 10:15 am
    Break

  • 10:30 am
    0.50 hr
    Annexation Update: Where Do We Go from Here?
    Since the creation of home rule cities in Texas more than 100 years ago, the process of municipal annexation has produced dynamic cities that are among the nation’s leaders in job creation and economic growth. During the 2017 session, legislation passed that allows unincorporated subdivisions to veto the annexation plans of cities in a county with a population of more than 500,000. The bill effectively freezes the current boundaries of those cities. Will this mark the beginning of a process of urban decline that doomed cities in other states? Come find out how the new legislation affects your city.

    Scott N. Houston, Texas Municipal League - Austin, TX

  • 11:00 am
    0.75 hr
    Development Issues Outside Corporate Limits
    Development of land outside of corporate boundaries can involve jurisdictional conflicts between cities and counties. There also can be conflicts when city urban development standards are applied in a rural environment and development projects are started prior to annexation. 

    Arthur J. Anderson, Winstead PC - Dallas, TX
    Robert F. Brown, Brown & Hofmeister, L.L.P. - Richardson, TX

  • 11:45 am
    0.50 hr
    Takings Law: Determining the “Relevant Parcel” in Standard Taking Cases and Understanding When to Apply Heightened Scrutiny for Exactions 
    Discuss the Supreme Court’s 2017 decision in Murr v. Wisconsin, announcing a multi-factor test for “determining the denominator;” and recent case law determining when to apply the “essential nexus” and “rough proportionality” standards pursuant to Koontz v. St. Johns River Water Management District.

    Rachael Anne Rawlins, University of Texas School of Architecture - Austin, TX

  • 12:15 pm
    Austin Only
    Pick Up Lunch
    Included in registration. 

  • Thursday Afternoon, Mar. 22, 2018
    Presiding Officer:
    Barbara A. Boulware-Wells, The Knight Law Firm, LLP - Austin, TX
  • LUNCHEON PRESENTATION
  • 12:35 pm
    0.75 hr
    Winds of Change in the Texas Legislature: Legislative Outlook and the Challenges Ahead
    Discuss the changing political and legislative environment in Texas, with a focus on how those changes will impact the overall public policy agenda of the State.  

    Snapper Carr, Focused Advocacy, LLC - Austin, TX
    Daniel Gonzalez, Texas Association of Realtors - Austin, TX

  • 1:20 pm
    Break

  • 1:35 pm
    0.75 hr
    Regulation of Solicitation, the Homeless, and Charitable Donation Bins
    Review the legal issues associated with solicitation ordinances (including “panhandling”), the criminalization of homeless populations (“tent cities”), and the emergence of charitable bins and donation centers as constitutionally protected speech (Is this Reed, part 2?).

    Chris L. Nichols, The Nichols Firm, PLLC - Houston, TX

  • 2:20 pm
    0.75 hr
    Reeding Sign Regulations in 2017
    A review of current federal court cases including Reed v. Town of Gilbert and Texas legislation related to sign regulation with an emphasis on application of the new laws to current sign ordinance drafting and enforcement including Reed v. Town of Gilbert.

    Laura Mueller, Bojorquez Law Firm - Austin, TX
    Materials By:
    Anjali Naini, Bojorquez Law Firm, PC - Austin, TX

  • 3:05 pm
    0.50 hr
    Master Planned and Other Significant Development Projects
    Join a developer, a civil engineer, and a land use attorney in a discussion on leveraging municipalities’ expectations, regulations and incentives to foster flexibility and ensure certainty for long-term development projects. 

    Harry Ben Adams IV, McCombs Enterprises - San Antonio, TX
    Kenneth W. Brown, Brown & Ortiz, P.C. - San Antonio, TX
    Cara Tackett, Pape-Dawson Engineers, Inc. - San Antonio, TX

  • 3:35 pm
    Break

  • 3:45 pm
    0.75 hr
    Infill Development
    Given the financial challenges related to greenfield development and the increased movement of people back into city centers, municipalities are struggling with infill development that does not comply with current ordinances and regulations designed for suburban development. Join us for a discussion of development issues, including subdivision regulations, zoning, and storm water infrastructure deficiencies. 

    Moderator:
    Melinda Ramos, City of Fort Worth - Fort Worth, TX
    Panelists:
    Laura Voltmann, City of Fort Worth - Fort Worth, TX
    Michael Brennan, Near Southside Inc - Fort Worth, TX
    Justin S. Light, Pope Hardwicke Christie Schell Kelly & Taplett, L.L.P. - Fort Worth, TX

  • 4:30 pm
    0.75 hr ethics
    Bracing for Impacts: A Practical Guide to Preparing for Disasters
    Law firms are not immune to disasters – severe weather, work place violence, medical emergencies. What is a lawyer’s ethical duty to prepare for disasters, and how can they go about it efficiently?

    Paul Martin, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies - Austin, TX

  • 5:15 pm
    Adjourn

  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Friday Morning, Mar. 23, 2018
    Presiding Officer:
    Terrence S. Welch, Brown & Hofmeister, L.L.P. - Richardson, TX
  • 7:30 am
    Austin Only
    Conference Room Opens
    Includes continental breakfast.

  • 8:30 am
    1.00 hr
    Creative Districts
    The way we do business has drastically changed over the last ten years. Special districts are being created to combine academic, business, creative, and technological forces to cater to a generation that works in a different environment. Hear an overview of these districts and discuss how zoning regulations are affected, what are the impacts on communities (both good and not so good), and how zoning and economic development efforts can encourage these districts.

    Moderator:
    William S. Dahlstrom, Jackson Walker LLP - Dallas, TX
    Panelists:
    E. Scott Polikov, Gateway Planning Group, Inc. - Dallas, TX
    Peter G. Smith, Nichols, Jackson, Dillard, Hager & Smith L.L.P. - Dallas, TX
    Mark Stein, Stein Planning LLC - Dallas, TX

  • 9:30 am
    0.50 hr
    Land Use Development in the County
    Hear a discussion on the authority of counties in the ETJ, including conflicts that arise from municipal regulations and issues of county maintenance of improvements.

    Russell H. Roden, Dallas County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, Civil Division - Dallas, TX

  • 10:00 am
    0.50 hr
    Municipal Regulation of Mobile Homes
    From zoning to code enforcement, get a practical review of the options and limitations on dealing with houses on wheels.

    Matthew C. G. Boyle, Boyle & Lowry, L.L.P. - Irving, TX

  • 10:30 am
    Break

  • 10:45 am
    0.75 hr
    Incorporating Stock Tanks, Dams and Wetlands Into Suburban Sprawl
    Discuss regulations, risks, strategies, and techniques for integrating existing water features into new development.

    Mark McPherson, McPherson LawFirm, PC - Dallas, TX

  • 11:30 am
    0.75 hr
    Political Hot Topics in the Land Use World
    How should a city address the removal of Confederate monuments or the political appropriateness of renaming city streets, applications for new affordable housing projects, payday lenders, alcohol sales, or pawnshops? Hear an overview of how cities around the country have attempted to achieve consensus on political hot topics in land use.

    Terrence S. Welch, Brown & Hofmeister, L.L.P. - Richardson, TX

  • 12:15 pm
    Austin Only
    Pick Up Lunch
    Included in registration. 

  • Friday Afternoon, Mar. 23, 2018
    Presiding Officer:
    Ed Walts, The University of Texas System - Austin, TX
  • LUNCHEON PRESENTATION
  • 12:35 pm
    0.50 hr
    Craft Breweries and Downtown Revitalization
    Like many other craft breweries, Texas Beer Company started as a backyard home brewing operation that eventually grew into a pilot brewhouse and later a distribution brewery. This growth would not have been possible without the support of the City of the Taylor and Texas Beer Company's commitment to being a long-term partner in Taylor's downtown revitalization efforts, creating jobs and tax revenue, and supporting local philanthropic causes.

    Ian Davis, The Texas Beer Company - Taylor, TX
    Jesse Ancira Jr., Former Mayor, City of Taylor - Taylor, TX
    Materials By:
    Ed Walts, The University of Texas System - Austin, TX

  • 1:05 pm
    Break

  • 1:20 pm
    1.50 hrs
    Post-Disaster Regulation
    Consider forward-looking planning and regulatory approaches to recovery and new building after a disaster—from the legal, planning, and engineering perspectives—with a particular emphasis on minimizing private and public sector legal challenges.  

    Moderator:
    Kimberley Mickelson, City of Houston Legal Department - Houston, TX
    Panelists:
    Chad Berginnis, Association of State Floodplain Managers - Madison, WI
    Jim Blackburn, Rice University - Houston, TX
    Christopher D. Bowers, Miklos Law, PLLC - Farmers Branch, TX

  • 2:50 pm
    Break

  • 3:00 pm
    0.50 hr ethics
    Ethics and Natural Disaster
    A review of ethical issues arising from a natural disaster from an attorney whose been there, done that, and declined the T-shirt.

    Thomas A. Gwosdz, City Attorney - Victoria, TX

  • 3:30 pm
    0.75 hr ethics
    Cover Your Grass: Ethical Issues and Considerations in Land Use
    Explore key ethical issues that arise in land use and professional conduct issues in planning and zoning. Discuss conflicts of interests with current and former clients, revolving door issues, the representations of both parties in a transaction, and what constitutes the practice of law and alternative billing arrangements.

    Michael A. Shaunessy, McGinnis Lochridge - Austin, TX

  • 4:15 pm
    Adjourn

Download Schedule

Conference Faculty

Harry Ben Adams IV

McCombs Enterprises
San Antonio, TX

Jesse Ancira Jr.

Former Mayor, City of Taylor
Taylor, TX

Arthur J. Anderson

Winstead PC
Dallas, TX

Chad Berginnis

Association of State Floodplain Managers
Madison, WI

Jim Blackburn

Rice University
Houston, TX

Christopher D. Bowers

Miklos Law, PLLC
Farmers Branch, TX

Matthew C. G. Boyle

Boyle & Lowry, L.L.P.
Irving, TX

Michael Brennan

Near Southside Inc
Fort Worth, TX

Kenneth W. Brown

Brown & Ortiz, P.C.
San Antonio, TX

Robert F. Brown

Brown & Hofmeister, L.L.P.
Richardson, TX

Snapper Carr

Focused Advocacy, LLC
Austin, TX

Cathy Meyer Cunningham

Boyle & Lowry
Irving, TX

William S. Dahlstrom

Jackson Walker LLP
Dallas, TX

Ian Davis

The Texas Beer Company
Taylor, TX

James L. Dougherty Jr.

Attorney at Law
Houston, TX

Daniel Gonzalez

Texas Association of Realtors
Austin, TX

Thomas A. Gwosdz

City Attorney
Victoria, TX

Scott N. Houston

Texas Municipal League
Austin, TX

Don Knight

Dallas City Attorneys Office
Dallas, TX

Justin S. Light

Pope Hardwicke Christie Schell Kelly & Taplett, L.L.P.
Fort Worth, TX

Paul Martin

National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies
Austin, TX

Mark McPherson

McPherson LawFirm, PC
Dallas, TX

Kimberley Mickelson

City of Houston Legal Department
Houston, TX

Laura Mueller

Bojorquez Law Firm
Austin, TX

Anjali Naini

Bojorquez Law Firm, PC
Austin, TX

Chris L. Nichols

The Nichols Firm, PLLC
Houston, TX

E. Scott Polikov

Gateway Planning Group, Inc.
Dallas, TX

Melinda Ramos

City of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, TX

Rachael Anne Rawlins

University of Texas School of Architecture
Austin, TX

Russell H. Roden

Dallas County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, Civil Division
Dallas, TX

Michael A. Shaunessy

McGinnis Lochridge
Austin, TX

Peter G. Smith

Nichols, Jackson, Dillard, Hager & Smith L.L.P.
Dallas, TX

Mark Stein

Stein Planning LLC
Dallas, TX

Cara Tackett

Pape-Dawson Engineers, Inc.
San Antonio, TX

Laura Voltmann

City of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, TX

Ed Walts

The University of Texas System
Austin, TX

Terrence S. Welch

Brown & Hofmeister, L.L.P.
Richardson, TX

Planning Committee

Joseph J. Gorfida Jr.—Co-Chair

Nichols, Jackson, Dillard, Hager & Smith L.L.P.
Dallas, TX

Terrence S. Welch—Co-Chair

Brown & Hofmeister, L.L.P.
Richardson, TX

Patty Akers

Akers & Akers, L.L.P.
Austin, TX

Arthur J. Anderson

Winstead PC
Dallas, TX

Alan J. Bojorquez

Bojorquez Law Firm, PC
Austin, TX

Barbara A. Boulware-Wells

The Knight Law Firm, LLP
Austin, TX

William S. Dahlstrom

Jackson Walker LLP
Dallas, TX

James L. Dougherty Jr.

Attorney at Law
Houston, TX

Christy Drake-Adams

Texas Municipal League
Austin, TX

David Hartman

Smith, Robertson, Elliott, & Douglas, L.L.P.
Austin, TX

Camm C. Lary III

Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP
Austin, TX

Charlie F. McNabb

City of Georgetown
Georgetown, TX

Mark McPherson

McPherson LawFirm, PC
Dallas, TX

Kimberley Mickelson

City of Houston Legal Department
Houston, TX

Dorothy Palumbo

Bojorquez Law Firm, PC
Austin, TX

E. Scott Polikov

Gateway Planning Group, Inc.
Dallas, TX

Melinda Ramos

City of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, TX

Mack P. Reinwand

Messer, Rockefeller & Fort, PLLC
Frisco, TX

April Rogers

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

E. Allen Taylor Jr.

Taylor, Olson, Adkins, Sralla & Elam, L.L.P.
Fort Worth, TX

Misty M. Ventura

Shupe Ventura, PLLC
Dallas, TX

Ed Walts

The University of Texas System
Austin, TX

Reid C. Wilson

Wilson, Cribbs & Goren, P.C.
Houston, TX

Charles E. Zech

Denton, Navarro, Rocha, Bernal, Hyde & Zech, P.C.
San Antonio, TX

Credit Info

MCLE Credit
A Texas MCLE Reporting Form will be included in your course materials. Please complete and return to the registration desk and UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the State Bar of Texas, or you can self-report your credit directly to the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com. A Certificate of Attendance will be provided at the conference to keep for your records.  
At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. Self-report your CLE credit directly to the State Bar of California at calbar.ca.gov. You will receive a Certificate of Attendance at the conference to keep for your records. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.  
At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. You will receive a Certificate of Attendance at the conference to keep for your records. UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the Oklahoma Bar Association within 30 days after the conference.
Note on Self-Reporting Your Credits in Another State
If you wish to satisfy MCLE or other professional education requirements in another state for a program offered by the University of Texas School of Law, please check with the state bar or other licensing authority in that state before taking the program to ensure it will qualify for self-reporting your credits.
Other Credit
The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #250) live conferences are presumptively approved by The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for Texas Accounting CPE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. Approved for general CPE credit only.

At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Accounting CPE Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. You will receive a Texas Accounting Certificate of Completion at the conference for your records. Self-report your CPE credit directly to TSBPA. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.  

Contact Laura Tolin, ltolin@law.utexas.edu, if you have additional questions.
Please use the course approval number listed for this conference to self-report your ACE Appraiser credit to TALCB. For more information, visit: https://www.talcb.texas.gov/

http://www.txls.state.tx.us/
This course will qualify for self-reporting credits with PELS (TX Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors) - please see the education form log below to keep track of your credits in the case of an audit. When you select this credit type in the webcast, you will receive a downloadable Certificate of Attendance with date and course information for your records.

https://pels.texas.gov/downloads/TBPE_CEP_Log.pdf
https://www.trec.texas.gov/sites/default/files/pdf-forms/CE_CLE-0.pdf

Use this link to obtain the TREC MCE form for self-reporting your TREC credit.  UT Law CLE will provide a Certificate of Attendance at the conference.
MCLE Credit
UT Law CLE will report credit to the State Bar of Texas on your behalf. If you are claiming credit in the last week of your birth month, self-report your credit directly to the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com. A Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you upon claiming credit.
Self-report your CLE credit directly to the State Bar of California at calbar.ca.gov. Print and keep the Certificate of Completion for your records. A Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you upon claiming credit.
The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #169) live webcast presentations meet the requirements and are presumptively approved by the Oklahoma Bar Association for MCLE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. This accreditation requires attendance verification. In compliance with the rules, UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.

To claim Oklahoma MCLE credit, Oklahoma credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. Upon claiming credit, a Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you. UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the Oklahoma Bar Association within 30 days after the webcast.
Note on Self-Reporting Your Credits in Another State
If you wish to satisfy MCLE or other professional education requirements in another state for a program offered by the University of Texas School of Law, please check with the state bar or other licensing authority in that state to ensure it will qualify for self-reporting your credits.

To claim Other States MCLE credit, Other States credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. Upon claiming credit, a Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you.

This accreditation requires attendance verification. UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion .

MCLE credit is presented based on a 60-minute credit hour.
Other Credit
The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #250) live webcast presentations meet the requirements and are presumptively approved by the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for Texas Accounting CPE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. Approved for general CPE credit only.

This accreditation requires attendance verification. In compliance with the rules, UT Law CLE monitors and records attendee responses to questions that randomly appear during the live webcast presentation. The response record is detailed on the Certificate of Completion.

To claim Texas Accounting CPE credit, the Texas Accounting CPE credit option must be selected PRIOR to viewing the live webcast. Upon claiming credit, a Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you. Self-report your CPE credit directly to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy.

Contact Laura Tolin, ltolin@law.utexas.edu, if you have additional questions.
Please use the course approval number listed for this conference to self-report your ACE Appraiser credit to TALCB. For more information, visit: https://www.talcb.texas.gov/

http://www.txls.state.tx.us/
This course will qualify for self-reporting credits with PELS (TX Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors) - please see the education form log below to keep track of your credits in the case of an audit. When you select this credit type in the webcast, you will receive a downloadable Certificate of Attendance with date and course information for your records.

https://pels.texas.gov/downloads/TBPE_CEP_Log.pdf
https://www.trec.texas.gov/sites/default/files/pdf-forms/CE_CLE-0.pdf

Use this link to obtain the TREC MCE form for self-reporting your TREC credit. The State Bar of Texas MCLE number will qualify this course for this type of self-reporting credit to TREC. UT Law CLE will provide a Certificate of Attendance once you complete the course.

Key Dates

Austin – Mar 22-23, 2018 – AT&T Conference Center
Conference Concluded
Live Webcast – Mar 22-23, 2018
Conference Concluded
Buy
Austin
Last day for Individual early registration: Mar 14, 2018

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group (5 registrants minimum) early registration: Mar 14, 2018

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group (10 registrants minimum) early registration: Mar 14, 2018

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for cancellation (full refund): Mar 16, 2018

$50 processing fee applied after this date

Last day for cancellation: Mar 19, 2018
Live Webcast
Last day for cancellation (full refund): Mar 16, 2018

$50 processing fee applied after this date

Last day for cancellation: Mar 19, 2018

Venue

speaker

AT&T Conference Center

The University of Texas at Austin
1900 University Avenue
Austin, TX
877.744.8822 (reservations)
Map

Accommodations

Our room block at the AT&T Hotel has been exhausted. Please see below for a list of nearby hotels. 

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Austin - University Area
Hampton Inn and Suites at The University/Capitol
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Austin 
Inn Pearl 

Parking Information

Free daily self-parking at UT garages. Separate fees apply for valet and overnight parking.   

Our Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors! Click each logo below to learn more.

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