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.

Experience

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.

Memberships

• Washington State Bar Association, Member
• Washington State Bar Association, Land Use and Environmental Mediation Committee, Member (2011-present)
• Washington State Bar Association, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Environmental and Land Use Law Sections, Member
• Washington State Bar Association, Associate Editor, Real Property Deskbook (3rd ed.) and 2001, 2010 and 2015 updates 
• King County Bar Association, Member

• Board of Directors, Hearing Examiners Association of Washington

Awards

• Martindale-Hubbell^® Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers (2013)
• Martindale-Hubbell^® and American Lawyer Media, Top Rated Lawyer in Land Use and Zoning (2013)
• Washington Super Lawyers, Land Use & Zoning (2007-2010, 2015-2019)

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

Critical Areas Case Law - Bellingham, Vancouver, and Moses Lake Washington 

Publications

“Critical Areas Update,” Washington Planners Workshop (2016).

“Groundbreaking Developments in Land Use Mediation,” 20th NW Dispute Resolution Conference (2014).

“Suing and Defending Local Governments,” Land Use Mediation (2014).

“Land Use and Environmental Mediation Focus Group and Update,” Hearing Examiners Association of Washington Annual Conference (2013).

“Developments in Development Agreements,” Hearing Examiners Association of Washington Annual Conference (2013)

Author, “Wetlands,” Washington Lawyers’ Practice Manual (2002 and 2005-2011 updates)

“Land Use Training for Kitsap DRC Mediators” (2011)

“SEPA-NEPA,” LSI (2011)

Chair and Speaker, Wetlands in Washington (1995-2003, 2005-2009, 2011)

Services