John L. McBride

Biography

John McBride's effectiveness as a land use attorney is built upon his accumulated experience; established reputation among staff and elected officials throughout localities in Northern Virginia; and an ability to build consensus through factual, detailed presentation of information. Prior to attending law school, John worked as a City Planner, a land acquisition and right-of-way agent, and a real estate leasing agent for local governments in Northern Virginia. This decade of experience provides him with invaluable insight into local government officials' perspectives on land development projects.

John's practice is focused on land use and development law, as well as eminent domain and commercial real estate tax appeal litigation. His clients include places of worship, developers and builders of both residential and commercial projects, nonprofit charitable organizations, and businesses that own real estate.

John has been admitted as an expert witness in the Circuit Court of Fairfax County, the Circuit Court for the Town of Culpeper, the Circuit Court for the City of Manassas, and the US Bankruptcy court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division.

Professional Associations

Fairfax Bar Association, Member
Virginia State Bar Association, Member
Prince William Bar Association, Member
Prince William Bar Association, Prince William County Development Ordinance Review Advisory Committee
County of Fairfax government, Director of the Land Acquisition and the Real Property Management Divisions
City of Fairfax, Planner
City of Alexandria, Planner

Honors And Awards

The Best Lawyers in America® - Land Use and Zoning Law, 2015-2025
Arlington magazine's Top Attorneys - Land Use/Zoning, 2022
Virginia Business magazine’s “Legal Elite” – Real Estate, 2006, 2008, 2009, & 2012
Northern Virginia magazine Best of NoVA, top lawyers in Zoning, Planning & Land Use, 2017

Practice Highlights

Conduct due diligence investigations of real estate. (What can I do with this property, and what governmental permits do I need?)
Prepare and prosecute to completion: land use applications for rezonings, special use permits, special exceptions, certificates of appropriateness (ARB), appeals of zoning violations and determinations to Boards of Zoning Appeals.
Analyze the effect of zoning, subdivision and other local government regulations upon particular development issues.
Represent landowners in zoning determinations, zoning verifications, proffer interpretations, zoning violation matters and legal non-conformance/grandfathering /vesting issues.
Represent landowners in land use litigation against local governments, including appeals from the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Represent landowners before Circuit Courts, Boards of Zoning Appeals and the Virginia Supreme Court on eminent domain, zoning, variance and subdivision matters.
Represents the Prince William Bar Association on the Prince William Zoning and Development Ordinance Advisory Committee, which drafts amendments to the Prince William County Design and Construction Standards Manual (DCSM), Subdivision and Zoning Ordinances. The DCSM is incorporated into the zoning and subdivision ordinances and covers, inter alia, landscaping/buffers, parking, LID, storm water management, urban design standards, and transportation system requirements.
Lobbied on behalf of landowners and business owners in the following Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance amendments – Lighting Ordinance, Big Box Ordinance, Service Station/Mini-mart Ordinance, the “Neighborhood Compatibility” Ordinance, and the Restaurant Entertainment Ordinance.
Negotiate with civic associations, adjacent property owners and other citizens regarding pending land use applications.
Negotiate and draft development agreements between private (and sometimes public) entities to facilitate the orderly development of land and the future conveyance of easements.
File and prosecute real estate tax appeals for income producing property and vacant land.
Represented landowners in condemnation negotiations and eminent domain proceedings (such as the following projects: Hotlanes, I-66 and I-495 widenings, Rt. 28 widening, Rt. 1 widening, Fairfax County Parkway, Columbia Gas Pipeline, Herndon Parkway).
Represented landowners in the sale of Merrimac Farm in Prince William County to the VDGIF, in collaboration with the Prince William Conservation Alliance and Base Quantico (Navy Dept.).
Negotiate and draft historical preservation and open space/conservation easements acceptable to the Virginia Department of Historical Resources, the American Battlefield Protection Program and the Land Trust of Virginia.
Land use and development consultation on behalf of environmental not-for-profit organizations.
Past consultant to the County of Culpeper and the City of Manassas Park in drafting amendments to their Zoning and Subdivision ordinances.

Pro-Bono Activities

Habitat for Humanity Virginia, Inc., Former Director
Buckland Preservation Society, Inc., Former Director
Habitat for Humanity for Prince William, Inc, Director and former chairman
Prince William/Manassas Habitat for Humanity - Assist in Zoning and Real Estate Matters
Bull Run Mountains Conservancy, Inc., Special Counsel

Classes And Seminars

Presenter on Subdivision Law, Local Government Attorneys (LGA), 2007
Presenter on Zoning Law, American Institute of Architects, Virginia Chapter, 2006
Presenter on "Preparing for Court Testimony,", Virginia Zoning Officials (VZO), 2005

Practice Areas

Zoning, Land Use and Development applications – primarily in Prince William, Fairfax, and Loudoun Co
Real Estate due diligence
Litigation – Eminent Domain; Development and Covenant Disputes; Real Estate Tax Appeals
Expert witness regarding the existing and probable use of real estate

Education

George Mason University School of Law, Arlington, Virginia
- J.D. - 1987
University of Virginia School of Architecture
- B.A. - 1976
- Major: City Planning

Bar Admissions

Virginia
Virginia Supreme Court
U.S. Supreme Court

Past Positions

Land Acquisition and the Real Property Management Divisions, County of Fairfax Government, Director
City of Fairfax, Planner
City of Alexandria, Planner
County of Culpeper and the City of Manassas Park, Past Consultant