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Sherman Patrick Wins Northern Virginia Building Industry Association’s “Associate of the Year” Award: press release; by Sherman Patrick, Feb 1, 2011; Sherman Patrick, Land Planner at Compton & Duling, has won the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association's "Associate of the Year" Award for 2010. Mr. Patrick received the award on Saturday evening, January 22, 2011 at NVBIA's annual President's Ball at Landsdowne Resort in Loudoun, Virginia.
Harvest Life Changers Church Approved in Redevelopment Area: press release; by Jason E. Hickman, Oct 12, 2010; On October 5, the Prince William County Board of Supervisors approved a new 4,000 seat church for Harvest Life Changers Church, International. Sherman Patrick, Jr., Land Use Planner for Compton & Duling, L.C., worked with the church leaders and the County to obtain the approval.
Virginia Law Update: article; by Geary H. Rogers, Oct 5, 2010; The Virginia General Assembly this year adopted the following noteworthy changes to certain statutes affecting businesses and individuals. For the most part, these changes to the Virginia Code took effect on July 1st of this year.
ICSC-Loudoun County Signage Ordinance Update: article; by Sherman Patrick, Jul 27, 2010; In response to a request to the International Council of Shopping Centers from the Loudoun County Planning Commission, Sherman Patrick of Compton and Duling and Jimmie Jones of Art Display provided the attached presentation to the Commission at their work session on July 14, 2010.
ULYSSES OR USELESS - Virginia's Revised Advance Medical Directive: press release; Apr 8, 2010; In Greek mythology, Ulysses had himself tied to a ship's mast and ordered his crew not to release him until they had safely passed the Sirens - no matter how much he pleaded or protested. Effective July 1, 2009, Virginia's General Assembly amended Virginia Code to allow you to make a similar election in your Advance Medical Directive.
Washington Business Journal - Prince William County Parcel Rezoned for Mixed-Use Development: press release; by Washington Business Journal, Apr 8, 2010; A 39-acre parcel in Prince William County is on its way to becoming a pedestrian friendly community, complete with new homes and an elementary school.
On April 6, the Woodbridge property was approved for planned mixed residential use, scratching its former status as A-1 agriculture use. It is the first significant residential rezoning approved by the county’s board of supervisors in several years. The Ferlazzo family-owned land, which sits at the corner of Minnieville Road and Spriggs Road, will be able to fit 59 new homes.
NEWS ALERT - Compton & Duling Attorney Dennis Cate Reappointed for 4-Year Term as Planning Commissioner: press release; Apr 7, 2010; Fairfax City, Virginia – The City Council for the City of Fairfax has reappointed Compton & Duling, L.C. attorney Dennis M. Cate to serve a four-year term as a Planning Commissioner. Cate will serve on the seven-member Planning Commission for the City of Fairfax at large, for a term running through 2013.
County Approves Mixed Use Development in Potomac Communities Revitalization Area: press release; Mar 25, 2010; Hilton Garden Inn and Amerisuites Hotel Headed to Prince William County

A brand new Hilton Garden Inn and an AmeriSuites Hotel are slated to open in Neabsco Common, a mixed use project located in the Potomac Communities Revitalization Area, thanks to the County approval granted in November 2009.

Located near the intersection of I-95 and Dale Boulevard, the mixed-use project will contain a total of over 396,000 square feet of nonresidential space, including 160,000 square feet of office space in two office buildings, as well as two mixed use buildings with ground floor retail, retail service and office, and a potential free-standing, sit-down restaurant.

“The approval of this plan will provide valuable tax revenue for the County, as well as providing important positioning for future economic growth in the Potomac Communities, an area the County is looking to revitalize,” said Sherman Patrick, Jr., Planner at Compton & Duling, L.C., who has worked with the developer since the rezoning process began in 2007 to bring this mixed use project to the County.
Stafford County Board of Supervisors Approves South Campus Development Plan: press release; Mar 25, 2010; Compton & Duling is pleased to announce the Stafford County Board of Supervisors’ approval of South Campus, a medical office campus with supportive retail and office uses within walking distance of the new Stafford Hospital near the proposed Courthouse Town Center. As a result of the work of Compton & Duling’s Planner, Sherman Patrick, Jr., the South Campus project successfully achieved rezoning approval of 54 acres from an agricultural land use to a commercial medical office campus consisting of 542,000 square feet of building area.
VIRGINIA LLCs - WHY YOU NEED AN OPERATING AGREEMENT: article; by Lauren Mooney, Sep 15, 2009; Whether you are in the process of forming a Virginia limited liability company (or “LLC”) or operating your business as an LLC, you need to have an “operating agreement”, which is a written contractual document which sets forth the financial rights, obligations and duties of the members in an effort to reduce the possibility of future disputes. What you may not know however, are the possible scenarios members could face if the LLC does not have an operating agreement or if the agreement does not adequately plan for unexpected circumstances. Unfortunately, Virginia law does not require an operating agreement and many people form LLCs without a written operating agreement.
VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY - 2011 SESSION: Mar 26, 2011
UPCOMING CHANGE IN THE LAW - New License Requirements for Common Interest Community Managers: press release; Mar 1, 2010; Effective April 1, 2010, the Commonwealth of Virginia will require additional criteria for training program approval for common interest community managers. The new regulations will require at least one supervisory employee or officer with five years of experience to complete a comprehensive training program approved by Virginia's Common Interest Community Board. Additionally, at least 50% of the persons who have principal responsibility will be required to obtain a license or complete an introductory training program approved by the Board.

Other changes in the licensure law include changes to the bond reporting requirements for provisional licensees, the qualifications for licensure, and the acts prohibited under the regulations.

Please click here to see the new regulation which will be effective beginning in April 2010. If you or any of your community's members have any questions about the new regulations, or if you need legal assistance of any kind, you can contact Compton & Duling, L.C. to speak with an attorney at (703) 583-6060.
NEWSLETTER: by Dennis M. Cate, Jan 28, 2010; COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENT APPEALS

In a tough economy, businesses need to reduce expenses wherever possible, including their commercial real estate assessments. There are various review options available if a business believes its assessment is too high. After gathering pertinent information and doing an analysis of the costs and benefits, businesses must meet the assessment appeal deadlines or they will lose their opportunity to reduce their assessment and pay less tax than they otherwise would pay.
Heather R. Steele Joins Firm: press release; by Jason Hickman, Oct 1, 2009; Compton & Duling is pleased to announce that Heather R. Steele has become associated with the Firm.
Divorce, Today's Real Estate Market and the Ubiquitous Short Sale: article; Sep 15, 2009; In the not too distant past, most people who were going through a divorce and owned real estate could count on receiving proceeds for their interest in that real estate -- either through the sale of the property or through a buy-out from their soon to be ex-spouse. That asset would help them to move out, pay for legal representation, provide a down payment on a new home and generally enable someone to move on with their life. And, although a divorce is one of the most traumatic of life events, having a financial cushion made the process measurably better.
How Property Can Be Protected Against Changes in Local Zoning and Ordinances: article; by Geary H. Rogers, Aug 20, 2009; Whether you are an individual, a small business, or a developer with a property that has a site plan recently approved or in process, there are provisions of the law you should be aware of in order to protect your investment in this current market. Under Virginia law (Virginia Code Section 15.2-2261), an approved final subdivision plat which has been recorded or an approved final site plan for a property shall be valid for a period of not less than five (5) years from the date of approval. You will notice that the language of the statute treats final subdivision plats and final site plans differently. An approved final subdivision plat must be recorded in order to remain valid for the five (5) year period, which in many cases will require that bonds be posted and maintained in full force and effect. This should be contrasted to a commercial site plan, which under the statute is deemed final once it has been reviewed and approved by the locality if the only requirement remaining to be satisfied in order to obtain a building permit is the posting of any bonds or escrows. Thus, there is no requirement to post bonds for a commercial site plan in order to achieve the five (5) year period of validity.
LLCs - Why You Need an Operating Agreement: article; by Lauren Mooney, Jul 12, 2009; Whether you are in the process of forming a Virginia limited liability company (or “LLC”) or operating your business as an LLC, you need to have an “operating agreement”, which is a written contractual document which sets forth the financial rights, obligations and duties of the members in an effort to reduce the possibility of future disputes. What you may not know however, are the possible scenarios members could face if the LLC does not have an operating agreement or if the agreement does not adequately plan for unexpected circumstances. Unfortunately, Virginia law does not require an operating agreement and many people form LLCs without a written operating agreement.
Sherman Patrick elected FY 09/10 President of the Prince William Chapter of the Northern Virginia Bureau: press release; Jun 23, 2009; At the June 23, 2009 Executive Committee meeting, Sherman Patrick was elected President of the Prince William Chapter of NVBIA for the coming year. The Chapter's focus in FY09/10 will be leveraging the resources of the organization to support, inform and represent its members.
OF MICE AND STREETS: article; by Dennis M. Cate, Jun 1, 2009; Some people think the current-standard residential cul-de-sac subdivision is just fine, combining convenience and safety by limiting through movements where children live. Others, including recent article writers, call it a rat maze and believe a return to the older grid patterns will solve our current traffic-related woes. Thanks to the new Secondary Street Acceptance Requirements (SSAR) adopted by VDOT, VDOT agrees with the grid, and regardless of your feelings, SSAR applies and will affect future (and ongoing) development and the land use decisions of increasingly cash-strapped local governments. And, VDOT wins either way.
Compton & Duling Attorney Appointed to Planning Commission: press release; Mar 31, 2009; Compton & Duling, L.C., one of Prince William County’s oldest law firms, announced today that attorney Dennis Cate has been appointed to the City of Fairfax Planning Commission.
“Dennis’s appointment to the Planning Commission is another example of the breadth of experience Compton & Duling offers our clients, said Geary Rogers, Managing Partner of Compton & Duling. “Our firm has a rich history in land use and planning matters in the region. Dennis will be a tremendous asset to the citizens of the City of Fairfax.”
DURABLE POWERS OF ATTORNEY - PREPARE THEM CAREFULLY: article; by Thomas D. Duling, Feb 15, 2009; Powers of Attorney are routinely used as part of financial planning for clients. The most common type of Power of Attorney in an estate planning or elder law planning context is a General Durable Power of Attorney in which a person, usually known as the principal, designates an agent and gives them certain authority to act on behalf of the principal.
Compton & Duling Celebrates 40 Years of Legal Excellence With Move to New Offices: press release; Feb 5, 2008; Woodbridge, VA – February 5, 2008 -- Today, Compton & Duling, one of Prince William County, Virginia’s oldest law firms, announced that they will move their offices as of February 18, 2008. Their new location will be the professional building located at the Parkway East at County Center, 12701 Marblestone Drive in Prince William, Virginia.
Sample Press Release: press release; Oct 19, 2007; Just a sample of a press release.

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