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Overview

The  25th 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.
2021 highlights include:

  • Two-part case law updates, including key developments on topics such as zoning, platting, “takings,” and vested rights.
  • Hear the Legislative Update on Land Use Issues for Cities & Counties.
  • Financing Public Infrastructure via Special Districts: The Domino Effect.
  • Insights on the unique aspects of planning and funding land development outside urban areas.
  • Hot Topics in Affordable Housing.
  • Conducting Land Transactions in the Cloud: Tips for Protecting Confidential Information and Information That May be Subject to the Public Information Act.
  • Ethics Issues and the Legislature provides general considerations that every attorney should consider when working with legislators and legislative staff
Following the conference, attendees will receive a bonus eSupplement to ensure practitioners can earn their required 15.00/3.00 Texas MCLE hours for the year.

Join a day early for the Land Use Fundamentals—ideal for new entrants to the field or as a refresher for experienced practitioners.

Live Webcast Related Conference

Land Use Fundamentals

Live Webcast
Apr 14, 2021

Register

Event Schedule

Program is subject to change.
All times are Central Time Zone.

  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Thursday Morning, Apr. 15, 2021
    Presiding Officer:
    Hon. Penelope Graves Redington, Austin, TX
  • 8:20 am
    Welcoming Remarks

  • 8:30 am
    0.50 hr
    Case Law Updates:  Part 1
    Rapid review of recent land-use cases, with updates on short-term rentals, retroactivity/vested rights, ripeness/exhaustion, takings, billboards, historic preservation and more. 

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

  • 9:00 am
    10-minute break

  • 9:10 am
    0.75 hr
    Legislative Update on Land Use Issues for Cities & Counties
    Hear a moderated panel discussion on pending land use legislation of interest to cities and counties.

    Moderator:
    Alan J. Bojorquez, Bojorquez Law Firm, PC - Austin, TX
    Panelists:
    Richard A. Crow, Clark Hill Strasburger - Houston, TX
    Tom Nuckols, Travis County Attorney's Office - Austin, TX

  • 9:55 am
    Break

  • 10:05 am
    0.75 hr
    Code Enforcement Today:  Addressing Nuisances and Substandard Properties in a Pro-Property Rights State
    As cities face increasing pressures from citizens to address nuisance properties, like party houses and short-term rentals, this presentation will discuss the current legal landscape which poses challenges to code enforcement’s efforts.  Additionally, this presentation will look at other options to improve quality of life in neighborhoods by addressing secondary effects of nuisance properties and getting back to the basics of substandard building regulations.

    Janet Marie Spugnardi, City of Irving City Attorney's Office - Irving, TX

  • 10:50 am
    Break

  • 11:00 am
    1.00 hr
    The Unique Nature of Land Development in the ETJ
    How  cities, counties and developers are addressing issues related to development outside of the city limits.

    Moderator:
    Arthur J. Anderson, Winstead PC - Dallas, TX
    Panelists:
    Margaret Wallace Brown, City of Houston - Houston, TX
    Cheryl Williams, Collin County Commissioners Court - McKinney, TX

  • 12:00 pm
    Break for Lunch - Presentations Resume at 12:30 p.m.

  • Thursday Afternoon, Apr. 15, 2021
    Presiding Officer:
    Joseph J. Gorfida Jr., Dallas, TX
  • Luncheon Presentation
  • 12:30 pm
    0.50 hr
    Rice’s Ion Innovation District in Midtown Houston
    An overview of Rice University’s investment in developing a mixed-use, inclusive, and integrated district focused on being a hub of new economic opportunities for Houston.

    Ryan LeVasseur, Rice Management Company - Houston, TX

  • 1:00 pm
    Break

  • 1:10 pm
    0.75 hr
    Financing Public Infrastructure via Special Districts: The Domino Effect.
    An overview of MUDS, PIDS and other special districts in Texas commonly requested by developers to finance public infrastructure, and a discussion of the City and County considerations when reviewing these applications, including the intersection between review and approval of special districts and other required approvals such as zoning and platting.

    Julie Houston, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP - Austin, TX
    Skye Masson, City of Georgetown - Georgetown, TX

  • 1:55 pm
    Break

  • 2:05 pm
    0.50 hr
    Land Development Toolbox for Small Towns
    This topic will address the unique aspects of planning and funding land development outside urban areas, from both developer and municipal perspectives.

    Tad Holland Cleaves, Texas Municipal League - Austin, TX

  • 2:35 pm
    Break

  • 2:45 pm
    0.50 hr
    Hot Topics in Affordable Housing
    A quick overview of current issues and innovations in affordable housing in Texas, including public facility corporations, land development code reforms, and community land trusts.

    Heather K. Way, University Of Texas School Of Law - Austin, TX

  • 3:15 pm
    Break

  • 3:25 pm
    0.50 hr
    Updates on Current Law on Group Homes
    Updating current law on group homes and residential treatment facilities in residential zoned areas, with emphasis on Fair Housing Act/ADA implications.

    William M. McKamie, Taylor Olson Adkins Sralla & Elam LLP - San Antonio, TX

  • 3:55 pm
    Break

  • 4:05 pm
    0.50 hr
    Keynote Address from the Texas Land Commissioner 
    Join us for a keynote address from Land Commissioner, George P. Bush. 

    George P. Bush, Texas Land Commissioner, Texas General Land Office - Austin, TX

  • 4:35 pm
    Adjourn

  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Friday Morning, Apr. 16, 2021
    Presiding Officer:
    Robert F. Brown, Brown & Hofmeister, L.L.P. - Richardson, TX
  • 8:30 am
    0.75 hr
    COVID 19 Impacts: How Does/Did Impact Land Use Development
    Emerging Trends in Land Use Development from COVID-19: How has it affected development and land use and how have developers, and cities, responded.

    William S. Dahlstrom, Jackson Walker LLP - Dallas, TX
    Barry Hand, Gensler - Dallas, TX

  • 9:15 am
    Break

  • 9:25 am
    0.50 hr
    Case Law Updates:  Part 2
    Rapid review of recent land-use cases, with updates on short-term rentals, retroactivity/vested rights, ripeness/exhaustion, takings, billboards, historic preservation and more.

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

  • 9:55 am
    Break

  • 10:05 am
    0.50 hr
    Sign Regulation after Reagan v. City of Austin: Changes to the Sign Landscape
    The question of constitutional limitations on sign regulation has continued to increase since Reed v. Town of Gilbert, including the issue of off-premise v. on-premise signage delineated in Reagan v. City of Austin. Practical applications surrounding different types of regulations including commercial v. non-commercial, size, location, and sign type will be reviewed in this session.

    Laura Mueller, City of Dripping Springs - Dripping Springs, TX

  • 10:35 am
    Break

  • 10:45 am
    0.50 hr
    Short Term Rentals
    A review of short term rental case law and update on short term rental discussions in Dallas.

    Anna Lamberti Holmes, The City of Dallas - Office of the City Attorney - Dallas, TX

  • 11:15 am
    Break

  • 11:25 am
    0.75 hr
    ​Municipal Regulation of Governmental Uses
    This topic addresses the extent to which municipalities may regulate uses of property by the federal government, the State of Texas, counties and school districts, including charter schools.  Besides a legal overview, the presentation will include practical advice on how cities may regulate (or attempt to regulate!) other governmental uses of property within a city.

    Tommy Ludwig, City of Waxahachie - Waxahachie, TX
    Terrence S. Welch, Brown & Hofmeister, L.L.P. - Richardson, TX

  • 12:10 pm
    Break for Lunch - Presentations Resume at 12:40 p.m.

  • Friday Afternoon, Apr. 16, 2021
    Presiding Officer:
    Melinda Ramos, City of Fort Worth - Fort Worth, TX
  • Luncheon Presentation
  • 12:40 pm
    0.75 hr ethics
    Conducting Land Transactions in the Cloud: Tips for Protecting Confidential Information and Information That May be Subject to the Public Information Act
    In the area of land use, there are plenty of documents that are shared by attorneys, municipal governments and consultants through DropBox, Google Drive and other Cloud based systems. Since early 2019, Texas attorneys must comply with the ethical duty of the technology competence which means that, in addition to the duty of confidentiality and the attorney client privilege, we must meet a higher standard for protecting client data. This session will discuss tools and best practices for satisfying this higher standard such as controlling access and adding security controls to protect the material from being accessed by invalid users. Further, review practical and effective safeguards to prevent wire transfer fraud in the context of  large amounts of money being wire transferred in real estate transactions.

    Prabha Cinclair, Miklos Cinclair Law, PLLC - Farmers Branch, TX
    Elizabeth Rogers, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP - Austin, TX

  • 1:25 pm
    Break

  • 1:35 pm
    0.75 hr
    Shot Clocks, Building Materials, and the Death of Annexation
    This session will review several bills from the 86th Legislature affecting land development and planning, updates from the 87th Legislature, and how cities have adapted; the third amendment to the Annexation Act in as many sessions, the imposition of approval “shot clock” on applications other than subdivision plats, and preemption of regulations on building material.   

    Kimberley Mickelson, City of Houston Legal Department - Houston, TX

  • 2:20 pm
    Break

  • 2:30 pm
    0.75 hr
    Religious Institutions: Special Use/Special Protection
    Federal protection under RLUIPA and Texas protection under TRFRA are now over 20 years old, so a review of these special land use protections of religious use is timely. 

    Reid C. Wilson, Wilson, Cribbs + Goren, P.C. - Houston, TX

  • 3:15 pm
    Break

  • 3:25 pm
    1.00 hr ethics
    Ethics Issues and the Legislature
    Every attorney should know the answer to the question, "Who do I work for?" In his presentation, Jon Heining will explore how difficult it is for legislative attorneys to answer this question. In addition, Jon will discuss some general considerations that every attorney should consider when working with legislators and legislative staff.

    Jon Heining, Texas Legislative Council - Austin, TX

  • 4:25 pm
    Adjourn

Download Schedule

Conference Faculty

Arthur J. Anderson

Winstead PC
Dallas, TX

Alan J. Bojorquez

Bojorquez Law Firm, PC
Austin, TX

Margaret Wallace Brown

City of Houston
Houston, TX

George P. Bush

Texas Land Commissioner, Texas General Land Office
Austin, TX

Prabha Cinclair

Miklos Cinclair Law, PLLC
Farmers Branch, TX

Tad Holland Cleaves

Texas Municipal League
Austin, TX

Richard A. Crow

Clark Hill Strasburger
Houston, TX

William S. Dahlstrom

Jackson Walker LLP
Dallas, TX

James L. Dougherty Jr.

Attorney at Law
Houston, TX

Barry Hand

Gensler
Dallas, TX

Jon Heining

Texas Legislative Council
Austin, TX

Anna Lamberti Holmes

The City of Dallas - Office of the City Attorney
Dallas, TX

Julie Houston

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Austin, TX

Ryan LeVasseur

Rice Management Company
Houston, TX

Tommy Ludwig

City of Waxahachie
Waxahachie, TX

Skye Masson

City of Georgetown
Georgetown, TX

William M. McKamie

Taylor Olson Adkins Sralla & Elam LLP
San Antonio, TX

Kimberley Mickelson

City of Houston Legal Department
Houston, TX

Laura Mueller

City of Dripping Springs
Dripping Springs, TX

Tom Nuckols

Travis County Attorney's Office
Austin, TX

Elizabeth Rogers

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
Austin, TX

Janet Marie Spugnardi

City of Irving City Attorney's Office
Irving, TX

Heather K. Way

University Of Texas School Of Law
Austin, TX

Terrence S. Welch

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

Cheryl Williams

Collin County Commissioners Court
McKinney, TX

Reid C. Wilson

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

Planning Committee

Joseph J. Gorfida Jr.—Co-Chair

Dallas, TX

Terrence S. Welch—Co-Chair

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

Patricia A. Adams

Messer, Fort & McDonald
Frisco, TX

Patty Akers

Messer, Fort & McDonald
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

Prabha Cinclair

Miklos Cinclair Law, PLLC
Farmers Branch, TX

Tad Holland Cleaves

Texas Municipal League
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 LLP
Austin, TX

Omar Izfar

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

Rob Killen

Killen, Griffin & Farrimond
San Antonio, TX

Tommy Ludwig

City of Waxahachie
Waxahachie, TX

John Mark McPherson

McPherson LawFirm, PC
Dallas, TX

Kimberley Mickelson

City of Houston Legal Department
Houston, TX

Dorothy Palumbo

Bojorquez Law Firm, PC
Austin, TX

Melinda Ramos

City of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, TX

Hon. Penelope Graves Redington

Austin, 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 & Zech, P.C.
Austin, TX

Credit Info

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.
UT Law CLE is an approved provider of Pennsylvania credit, sponsor #236. Attorney attendance will be reported to Pennsylvania within 2 weeks of the webcast conclusion. Attorneys are not able to report this credit on their own, and UT Law CLE pays all associated fees for the credit hours. Contact Laura Tolin, ltolin@law.utexas.edu, if you have additional questions.
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.
UT Law CLE will report your ACE credits to TALCB within 10 days of the conference, using the activity code listed. For more information, visit: https://www.talcb.texas.gov/
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

Live Webcast – Apr 15-16, 2021
Register now
Live Webcast
Last day for Individual early registration: Mar 1, 2021

Add $25 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group (5 registrants minimum) early registration: Mar 1, 2021

Add $20 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group (10 registrants minimum) early registration: Mar 1, 2021

Add $20 for registrations received after this time

Last day for cancellation (full refund): Apr 9, 2021

$50 processing fee applied after this date

Last day for cancellation: Apr 12, 2021

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