In Monterey County, on the Central Coast of California, getting real estate development projects approved is a unique and specialized challenge. Land use regulations are complicated and vary by local jurisdiction. While the lead agency may have primary jurisdiction over the approvals, countless other governmental agencies may be involved in the permitting process. Regional projects typically have to navigate a complicated pathway for land use and entitlements, with many bureaucratic layers. Woodman Development Company has extensive experience securing entitlements for projects of all sizes throughout the county.

Woodman has successfully developed multiple projects representing nearly 3,500 residential units in Monterey County. That experience includes project approvals for individual single family homes, office buildings, apartment complexes, residential subdivisions, and master planned communities as large as 1,480 units. Those approvals range geographically from Carmel to King City, including most of the jurisdictions in between. Woodman understands the regulatory requirements of new developments, how to structure new project applications, and how to navigate a project through compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

This land use process is complicated, time consuming, and expensive. Approaching it strategically, with a goal to find bureaucratic paths of least resistance, can be the difference between a project’s ultimate failure or success. However, of even greater importance is creating the most defensible project possible that will win political support, earn discretionary approvals, and ultimately avoid legal challenge. This can best be achieved by employing tested strategies of success in land use, of which Woodman is an expert.