Practice Expertise

  • Land Use and Entitlement
  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
  • Agency Actions and Rulemaking
  • Land Use and Entitlement

Areas of Practice

  • Agency Actions and Rulemaking
  • Land Use and Entitlement
  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
  • Real Estate

Profile

Alison Moss helps private residential and commercial developers, contractors, local governments, ports and individuals navigate complex land ‎use and dispute resolution issues throughout the Pacific Northwest. With more than 34 years of ‎experience in land use, she is an active force in advocating for clients in environmental and planning issues throughout ‎the region.‎ Alison’s clients appreciate her creative, collaborative solutions fueled by her in-depth industry knowledge, dispute resolution skills, and sense of humor and adventure.

Bar Admissions

  • Washington State Courts
  • United States District Court, Western District of Washington
  • United States Circuit Court for the Ninth Circuit
  • United States Supreme Court

Education

  • University of Chicago Law School, Juris Doctor, 1982
  • Radcliffe College, Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, 1977

Areas of Practice

  • Agency Actions and Rulemaking
  • Land Use and Entitlement
  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
  • Real Estate

Professional Career

Significant Accomplishments

Permitting

  • Secured approvals for retail, office and multifamily projects for a major landowner in downtown Bellevue.
  • Represented large landowners in a comprehensive plan amendment, rezone and development agreement for a mixed-use project in Pierce County.
  • Aided an industrial landowner in negotiation of substantial reduction in system development charges for a sanitary sewer.
  • Advised the purchaser of the former Snoqualmie Mill in the annexation of the property to the City of Snoqualmie, adoption of a development agreement and defense of the zoning and development agreement before the Growth Management Hearings Board.
  • Counseled numerous developers of urban infill projects.
  • Permitted a large sand and gravel operation in Thurston County, working with state agencies and other shareholders and avoiding all appeals.

Growth Management Implementation

  • Assisted the City of Seattle in developing affordable housing strategies and regulations.
  • Assisted Island County in developing its full range of growth management implementation, including its comprehensive plan, zoning regulations, critical areas regulations, subdivision regulations, storm water regulations and concurrency regulations.
  • Representing Pierce County in the defense of a community plan.

Ports

  • Collaborated with Port of Vancouver in Concept Development Plan and shoreline permits for Terminal 1 Waterfront Development on the Columbia River in downtown Vancouver Washington.

  • Assisted Port of Skagit County in a wide range of critical areas regulations and in persuading regulatory agencies that drainage ditches should not be regulated as streams.

  • Represented Port of Tacoma in Pierce County’s adoption of its initial Growth Management Act (GMA) critical areas regulations.
  • Counseled Port of Chehalis in Lewis County’s adoption of its GMA comprehensive plan and development regulations as well as development of an industrial park.




Articles

  • Potential Changes in Office, Retail, and Residential Construction in the Post-COVID-19 Market
  • Fossil Fuel Cases Continue to Shape SEPA and Shoreline Laws
  • Subdivisions May Speed Up in Jurisdictions Near You
  • Sky Bridges are Making a Comeback in These Pedestrian-Friendly Times
  • Port to Market: Building Infrastructure to Meet Demand

Seminar

  • Critical Areas Cases ‎

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