Comprehensive advisory from project conception and feasibility through the entire entitlement and regulatory permitting process. We identify regulatory risks early, map all required approvals, coordinate zoning entitlements, and position projects for successful permitting.

Our team navigates the complex regulatory landscape in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia, turning potential obstacles into opportunities for project success.

Full Project Team Integration

Regulatory success doesn't happen in isolation. From the moment we engage on a project, JMI coordinates across the entire project team — ownership, development, construction, design, and engineering — to ensure every stakeholder is aligned on what the regulatory process requires and when.

We begin each engagement by requesting the development team's delivery milestones and hard deadlines. From those targets, we reverse-engineer the regulatory processing timeline — mapping every required agency submission, review period, public hearing, and approval step backward from the client's target date. This approach gives ownership and development teams realistic, defensible regulatory expectations from day one, and identifies schedule risks before they become project threats.

Where timelines are aggressive, we develop phased permitting strategies — sequencing approvals to enable early-start construction, foundation work, or tenant fit-out while upstream entitlements are still processing — maximizing schedule efficiency without compromising regulatory integrity.

Service Capabilities

  • Zoning feasibility analysis
  • PUD and matter-of-right development strategy
  • BZA variance and special exception applications
  • Development program analysis
  • Code modification applications
  • Multi-agency approval strategy
  • Regulatory timeline reverse-engineering from project delivery milestones
  • Phased permitting strategy for accelerated project schedules
  • EISF (Environmental Impact Screening Form) strategy and submission sequencing
  • Subdivision and lot consolidation processing
  • DC Historic Preservation coordination
  • Regulatory conflict resolution
  • Full project team coordination — ownership, development, construction, design & engineering
  • Realistic regulatory expectation-setting and schedule risk identification

Agencies We Coordinate Across the Development Lifecycle

From entitlement through design, construction, and final occupancy, JMI manages agency coordination across every stakeholder necessary to keep your development timeline intact.

DC Office of Zoning

Zoning compliance review, development impact analysis, and zoning feasibility assessment across all DC zoning districts.

Office of the Zoning Administrator

Zoning Administrator interpretations, matter-of-right use confirmations, and official determinations on zoning code applicability for complex projects.

Board of Zoning Adjustment

Variance applications, special exceptions, and relief from zoning requirements before the BZA.

Office of Planning

Project review, comprehensive plan consistency, and development review coordination with DC OP.

DC Department of Buildings (DOB)

Building permit strategy and sequencing coordinated from the entitlement phase to ensure design and construction timelines align with DOB review and approval requirements.

DDOT (District Dept. of Transportation)

Public space permit strategy, construction staging coordination, and right-of-way approvals integrated into the overall development timeline from the earliest project stages.

DOEE (Dept. of Energy & Environment)

Stormwater management planning, Green Area Ratio strategy, and environmental compliance requirements coordinated during design to avoid permit delays at construction.

DC Water

Water and sewer capacity review, connection permitting, and service lateral coordination incorporated into the project schedule to prevent utility-related construction delays.

Pepco (Potomac Electric Power Company)

Electrical service coordination, new service applications, and utility design review managed to align with construction milestones and TCO/C of O requirements.

Washington Gas

Gas service design, new connection applications, and utility installation coordination scheduled in parallel with the construction timeline to avoid last-mile occupancy delays.

Ready to Map Your Regulatory Path?

Let's develop a clear regulatory strategy for your project.

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