Scott heads McGuireWoods’ Land Use Practice Group and is a leader in the Northern Virginia land use and development field. Scott’s practice focuses on land use and development issues in Northern Virginia, where he assists developers and landowners in navigating the land use entitlement process, including obtaining rezonings, special exceptions, special permits, variances, and comprehensive plan amendments.
Scott’s creative and entrepreneurial approach to land use helps add value to client’s development projects. Throughout the land use entitlement process, Scott works to maximize development potential for his clients in a cost-effective and timely manner. In addition to new development, he also assists clients in amending existing development approvals to more closely align with changing market conditions. Additionally, Scott has experience navigating the approval process for repurposing of existing buildings and historic structures.
Prior to obtaining his law degree and joining McGuireWoods LLP, he was an urban planner assisting developers and advising local governments on a wide range of land use and development issues.
Scott also volunteers for a variety of community organizations and serves as a volunteer Cub Scout leader.
Experience
- Representation of a regional developer in a rezoning effort in Fairfax County, Virginia resulting in approval of a 2,000 unit multifamily development.
- Representation of a national developer in redevelopment and repositioning a 700+ unit mixed-use residential/office/retail development in Fairfax County, Virginia through the innovative use of County zoning regulations to achieve additional density.
- Representation of a regional developer to innovatively use Fairfax County density bonus provisions to triple the density of an existing office building site.
- Representation of various regional developers on infill housing development in Northern Virginia.
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The George Washington University Law SchoolJD
with Honors, Deans Fellow, Senior Managing Editor, The Public Contract Law Journal
2008 - University of CincinnatiBUPUrban Planning2004
Chair, Fairfax County Government Relations, Northern Virginia Chapter, NAIOP (formerly the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties)
Chair, Fairfax County Development Process Advisory Committee
Board Member, Homestretch
Board Member, Virginia Association of Commercial Real Estate
Board Member, Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance
Member, Community Council on Land use Engagement (appointed by Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova)
Member, Maryland State Bar Association
Member, American Bar Association
- Speaker, Expanding Housing Choices for the Future of Virginia, Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship, George Mason School of Business, September 29, 2022
- Presenter, "Zoning in Virginia", VHA Housing Credit Conference, September 14, 2022
- Speaker, Business Beware: Premise Liability in the Age of the COVID-19 Economic Restart, Webinar, May 28, 2020
- Speaker, Real Estate Contract Implications Amid COVID-19, May 20, 2020
- Speaker, Northern Virginia Real Estate Tax Assessments and Appeals, May 7, 2020
- Panelist, "COVID-19 Government Relations: Federal, State and Local", NAIOP – Commercial Real Estate Development Association, May 5, 2020
- Speaker, Real Estate Contract Implications Amid COVID-19 Concerns, April 6, 2020
- Maryland
- Virginia
Named NAIOP Northern Virginia “Member of the Year,” 2020
- Author, Arlington County, Virginia, Adopts Plan Langston Boulevard, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, November 13, 2023
- Author, Arlington County, Virginia, Releases Final ‘Plan Langston Boulevard’, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 27, 2023
- Author, Central Virginia Data Center Update, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 23, 2023
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Launches Discussions of Data Center Changes, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 19, 2023
- Author, Arlington County, Virginia, Floats Potential Policy Changes for Office-Residential Projects, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 12, 2023
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Signs Part II Zoning Ordinance Amendment, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 9, 2023
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Adopts Affordable Housing Preservation Guidelines, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 3, 2023
- Author, Arlington County, Virginia, Tees Up Final Langston Boulevard Area Plan, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 29, 2023
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Board of Supervisors Adopts ‘Parking Reimagined’, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 28, 2023
- Author, Fairfax County Planning Commission Recommends Approval of “Parking Reimagined”, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 20, 2023
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, to Consider Adopting Affordable Housing Preservation Guidelines, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 11, 2023
- Author, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, Also Addresses Development and Regulation of Data Centers, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 25, 2023
- Author, Fairfax County Anticipates Proposing Data Center Changes by End of 2023, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 20, 2023
- Author, Virginia State Code Changes Impact Public Hearing Timing, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 11, 2023
- Author, Loudoun County, Virginia, Board Decides to Begin CPAM and Map Updates, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, June 27, 2023
- Author, Arlington County Virginia Releases Draft of Langston Boulevard Area Plan, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, June 23, 2023
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Proposes Additional Sign Restrictions, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, June 20, 2023
- Author, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Re-adopts Virginia Zoning Ordinance, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 10, 2023
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Authorizes Study of Data Center Regulations, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 10, 2023
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Set to Re-adopt Invalidated Zoning Ordinance, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 17, 2023
- Author, Virginia DEQ Withdraws Proposed Rule Allowing Extended Backup Generator Use, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 14, 2023
- Author, Virginia Supreme Court Invalidates Fairfax County, Virginia, Zoning Ordinance, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 24, 2023
- Author, Virginia DEQ Revises Proposed Backup Generator Rule to Apply Only to Loudoun County, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 9, 2023
- Author, DEQ Considers Local Variance for Data Centers in Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William Counties, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 15, 2023
- Author, Arlington County, Virginia, Seeks to Revitalize Vacant Office Space With New Uses, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 31, 2023
- Author, Loudoun County, Virginia, Board Revises Data Center Policies and Regulations, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, November 29, 2022
- Author, Arlington County, Virginia, Launches Future of Outdoor Dining Study, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 6, 2022
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia: Comprehensive Plan Amendment Open Nomination Period Begins Soon, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 23, 2022
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Development Review Systems Down Oct. 21-31, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 22, 2022
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Considers New Housing Preservation Policy, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 20, 2022
- Author, Arlington County, Virginia, Takes Major Step to Advance Plan Langston Boulevard, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, August 22, 2022
- Author, Arlington, Virginia, Pushes Forward With Commercial Resiliency Strategy, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 25, 2022
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia: Call for Comprehensive Plan Amendment Nominations, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 20, 2022
- Co-author, Zoning and Segregation in Virginia: Part 2 – Expanding Housing Choices for the Future of Virginia, McGuireWoods Study Paper, May 23, 2022
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Outlines Potential Changes to Site-Specific Plan Amendment Process, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 9, 2022
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, to Consider Amending Airport Noise Policy, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 2, 2022
- Author, Virginia Resets Data Center Equipment Assessments, Tax Changes on Horizon, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 31, 2022
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, to Modernize Parking Requirements, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 10, 2022
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Considers Amending Airport Noise Policy, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 7, 2022
- Author, Arlington, Virginia, Zoning and Planning Update, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 1, 2022
- Author, Data Centers Still Critical in 2022 for Infrastructure, Environmental and Policy Developments, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 22, 2022
- Author, Loudoun County Virginia Proposes Major Changes Data Center Development, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 16, 2022
- Author, Prince William County, Virginia, Comprehensive Plan Update, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 7, 2022
- Author, Discussion Continues: Changes to Fairfax County Site-Specific Plan Amendment Process, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 24, 2022
- Author, Fairfax County Kicks Off Changes to Comprehensive Plan Amendment Process, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 14, 2021
- Author, White House Announces Steps to Increase Affordable Housing Supply, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 2, 2021
- Quoted, "Arlington nonprofit pitches Tysons’ first all-affordable apartment building", Washington Business Journal, August 17, 2021
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Extends Emergency Ordinances Permitting Flexibility During COVID-19, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 28, 2021
- Author, Fairfax County Announces Funding for Affordable Housing, Sets Aug. 12 Pre-Application Conference, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 23, 2021
- Author, Prince William County, Virginia, to Evaluate Expansion of Data Center Overlay District, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 19, 2021
- Author, 10 Takeaways from Virginia Housing Commission’s April 2021 Meeting, McGuireWoods Consulting LLC, May 4, 2021
- Author, Request Prince William County Long-Range Land Use Designation Changes by May 12, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 29, 2021
- Author, Fairfax County Adopts New Data Center Requirements, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 31, 2021
- Author, New Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance zMOD Supports Distribution Centers, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 29, 2021
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Adopts New Zoning Ordinance zMOD, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 25, 2021
- Author, Fairfax County Amends Workforce Housing Policy to Target Lower Income Levels, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 24, 2021
- Author, Arlington County Housing Policy Efforts to Continue in 2021, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 26, 2021
- Author, Fairfax County, Virginia, Adopts Real Estate Tax Abatement and Other Economic Incentives, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 13, 2021
- Author, Evaluation of Potential Historic Resources in Reston Continues Along With Possible Policy Implications, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 6, 2021
- Author, Update: Arlington County, Virginia, Implements Guidance on Office Building Conversion Flexibility, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, November 24, 2020
- Author, Fairfax County Approves Additional Zoning Flexibility in Response to COVID-19, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, November 3, 2020
- Author, Maximizing Retail Opportunities Through New Distribution Hubs, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 29, 2020
- Author, Arlington County, Virginia, Considers Providing Office Building Conversion Flexibility, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 12, 2020
- Author, Arlington County, Va., Completes Plan Lee Highway Phase I, Releases Planning Studies, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 3, 2020
- Author, Fairfax County Moves Forward on Workforce Housing Changes, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 23, 2020
- Author, Arlington County, Va., to Roll Out Virtual Site Plan Review Committee Process, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, June 2, 2020
- Author, Northern Virginia Prepares for Phase 1 of “Forward Virginia Plan”, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 29, 2020
- Author, Arlington County’s “Plan Lee Highway” Study Picks Up Pace, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 26, 2020
- Author, Virginia General Assembly Permits Local Governments to Meet Electronically, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 28, 2020
- Author, Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority and General Assembly Make Major Policy Changes, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 28, 2020
- Author, Arlington County COVID-19-Related Planning and Zoning Matters, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 20, 2020
- Author, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ COVID-19-Related Planning and Zoning Matters, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 16, 2020
- Author, Fairfax County COVID-19 Update, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 23, 2020
- Author, Arlington County Board Approves Senior Housing Zoning Ordinance Amendments, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 2, 2020
- Author, NOVA Opportunity Zones — Perspectives for Real Estate Owners and Investors, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, November 5, 2018
- Author, Northern Virginia’s Embark Richmond Highway Plan Amendment, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 25, 2018
- Author, Embark Richmond Presents Substantial Redevelopment Opportunity, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, November 9, 2017
- Author, Fairfax County Accepting Site-Specific Plan Amendment Proposals for North County Properties, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 4, 2017
- Author, Contributions to Fairfax County Officials, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, June 6, 2013