SMNR: Land Use & Environmental Law

Course Information

Registration Information

Meeting Times

Day Time Location
THU 3:30 - 5:20 pm TNH 3.115

Evaluation Method

Type Date Time Location
Paper

Description

This seminar is an in-depth study of land conservation and environmental planning techniques, focusing on the state and local level. Through weekly reading assignments and class discussion, we will investigate comprehensive plans, conservation easements, transferable development rights, development impact fees, mitigation requirements, cluster zoning, and other innovative zoning and planning techniques. We will discuss these measures in the context of several planning end-goals, including watershed and greenbelt protection and the prevention of urban sprawl. We will also briefly cover components of federal regulation that directly impact land use decisions, including USDA conservation payments, restrictions on wetlands development under the Clean Water Act, and Habitat Conservation Plans under the Endangered Species Act. Along the way, we will discuss recent legislative and legal responses to planning measures that intersect and/or clash with individual property rights and community preferences, asking how landowner participation affects the planning process. Students will provide a brief paper topic proposal to the professor, write a paper, and present their initial findings in several in-class fora near the end of the semester.

Instructors

Headshot of Wiseman, Hannah J Wiseman, Hannah J
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