our story

 

Land Development Associates (“LDA”) provides a vast array of entitlement and development services.  Developing raw, green-field land comes with a complex list of needs, including utility infrastructure and roadways, and all the governmental agency approvals that come with that development.  LDA specializes in providing a one-stop-shop for entitlements, design review and value-engineering, development management, dry and wet utility coordination, and land rights acquisition.  

 

LDA has coordinated nearly all Apex area major infrastructure projects, including development of waterline and wastewater systems, including 24” and 36” waterlines, pumping stations, storage reservoirs, and appurtenances, to connect Apex with the City’s main service area.  LDA is currently providing key supervision of design and constructability processes on these projects, which began in 2018.  Phase I and II of the design-build project includes approximately $70 million in improvements.  LDA obtained numerous rights-of-way, easements and assisted with land acquisition for the infrastructure, located on federal lands administered by Bureau of Land Management, as well as State of Nevada owned property.  Additional land rights obtained by LDA included UPRR permissions to jack and bore under active railroad lines, and NDOT encroachment permits.

 

In obtaining permissions from both the federal government and State of Nevada, LDA uses its proven strategies to navigate the Federal environmental compliance processes, including the National Environmental Policy Act.  Robust application materials are prepared, including resource-specific studies, and other NEPA-required exhibits and documents.

 

LDA regularly coordinates multiple concurrent projects.  Currently we are coordinating two large-scale development projects, the Northern Nevada Industrial Center in Lyon County, and multiple properties in Apex, City of North Las Vegas, comprising over 25,000 acres of land.  This work includes coordination of roadway design/build; dry utility coordination with NV Energy, Southwest Gas and Cox Communication; and municipal utilities with local and regional providers.

 

LDA’s principal officers have backgrounds in both civil engineering and environmental science, with years of experience in raw land development coordination.  This background facilitates time-saving and cost-reducing approaches across multiple development areas. 

 
 

Meet our TEAM

 
 
 
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David Brown

PRESIDENT

Background and Expertise

Mr. Brown began his career as a Civil Engineer in 1996.  His first projects included the South Meadows Business Park and the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (“TRIC”), both major projects in Northern Nevada.   Mr. Brown’s duties included design and permitting for over a hundred miles of infrastructure, including water, sewer, storm drain, and roadways.  Mr. Brown also obtained his water operator’s license to maintain and operate the domestic water system at TRIC.  He was also instrumental in obtaining rights-of-way for the infrastructure, including NDOT, the BLM, and private property owners.  In 2007 Mr. Brown joined his current partner, Lisa Cole, at the Apex Industrial Park (“Apex”).  Together they are responsible for managing all aspects of Apex, including water resource management, procuring rights-of-way through the BLM, NDOT, UPRR, the Nevada Division of State Lands, the City of North Las Vegas, Clark County, and private property owners for wet and dry utility and roadway development. 

 

Mr. Brown’s project management and right-of-way procurement in the Apex area has included the following projects:

 

  • Faraday Future – Mr. Brown was the lead outside consultant responsible for liasing with outside entities.  He was responsible for securing easements for and service from NV Energy, Southwest Gas, the City of North Las Vegas, Century Link, and neighboring private property owners.  Mr. Brown also assisted SNWA with water line alignment and easements for water line and tank site.  Mr. Brown also negotiated a 3-party land swap between the City of North Las Vegas, Faraday Future, and a private land owner, Douglas Sinclair, for the siting of a waste water treatment plant.  Mr. Brown also assisted the Regional Transportation Commission in obtaining rail easements via the BLM and Clark County, successfully negotiating the use of an existing right-of-way issued to Kerr McGee in 1998.

 

  • Miners Mesa – Mr. Brown successfully negotiated and obtains rights-of-way through the City of North Las Vegas, BLM, the Nevada Division of Lands, NDOT, and private property owners for the extension of over 3 miles of water and sewer pipe to service the Miners Mesa Industrial Park.  He is also in the process of coordinating dry utility easements and construction documents for over 3 miles of power line extension and 2 miles of natural gas pipeline to the industrial Park.  He serves as the coordinator between Cox, NV Energy, Southwest Gas and the City of North Las Vegas, making sure the client’s needs are met as well as the utility’s.

 

  • Annexation of Apex and Mountain View Industrial Park – Mr. Brown was the lead consultant on the annexation of over 13,000 acres into the City of North Las Vegas.  He coordinated all of the record of surveys, annexation applications, and backup information for every property owner in the afore mentioned 13,000 acres.  Mr. Brown also negotiated the Apex Overlay District with the City of North Las Vegas and Nellis Air Force Base.  Mr. Brown represented the land owner group of the 13,000 acres.

 

Before becoming a developer and development consultant, Mr. Brown practiced civil engineer and was licensed in both California and Nevada. He experience in engineering included residential, commercial, industrial, and public works. 

 

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

Community Involvement

Mr. Brown is heavily involved in the community.  He currently sits on the board of Casa de Luz as a Director.  Casa de Luz is a not-for-profit food bank located in the Naked City of Las Vegas.  Casa de Luz also serves the youth of the area by offering tutoring programs, job training, college scholarships, as well as mentoring programs.

 
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Lisa Cole

VICE PRESIDENT

Background and Expertise

Ms. Cole got her start in land-related services in 2001 as the Water Resources Manager for Dry Lake Water Company—the original Apex Industrial Park water purveyor.  Her responsibilities included groundwater rights permitting and maintenance, well development, and water system planning for the 10,000+ acre Apex area.  Additionally, she has twenty years of experience in obtaining public rights-of-way (“ROW”) through the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”), Nevada Division of State Lands (“NDSL”), Union Pacific Railroad (“UPRR”), Nevada Department of Transportation (“NDOT”); and private landowner easements need for utility and road development in Nevada.  

 

Ms. Cole has successfully obtained, or assisted with the following rights-of-way, easements, licenses and contracts for the Apex Industrial Park area:  

·      Miners Mesa Industrial Park Access Road—fully improved roadway, with associated utility infrastructure (N-98800)

o   Deadlines for initiation of construction were less than 12 months from application;

o   Determined expedited plan of action including advance biological/botanical resources studies to address NEPA questions before roadway design was completed, shaving up to a year off of standard times;

o   Plan of Development submitted with robust explanations to meet BLM requirements for three-tiered review system;

o   Structured broad project parameters to include possible design changes during NEPA analysis so any modifications did not impact review;

o   Obtained final ROW in nine months and initial notice to proceed two months later.

·      NV Energy Permission for Close Proximity Blasting to Construct Roadway and  Underground Power Installation

o   Coordinated efforts of blasting contractor, specialized geologist, construction crews, NV Energy engineers, contractors and key officials to blast in areas as close as 50 feet to 500 MVA towers and lines;

o   Utilized both existing and new professional relationships to navigate the documentation, insurance requirements, and engineering pre-planning needed to gain permission.

·      UPRR crossing authorizations for City of North Las Vegas Oversized Waterline Phase I, Phase II and Miners Mesa Sanitary Sewer projects;

o   Utilized expedited review processing and existing professional relationships to obtain license agreements for installation of waterline and sewer lines under UPRR tracks;

o   Coordinating with engineering staff to submit full applications and addressing any issues

·      NDSL Utility Easement for Installation of Miners Mesa Sewer

o   Utilized several levels of existing professional relationships to track review and signatures needed for the easement, including signatures needed from Nevada National Guard representatives and Adjutant General.

·      NDSL Utility Easement for Installation of City of North Las Vegas Oversized Waterline Phase I

o   Coordinated a BLM Plan of Development amendment to a Recreation and Public Purpose Patent to allow additional uses not originally planned.

·       

·      NDOT Encroachment Permits for Roundabout in Las Vegas Blvd. for Miners Mesa Roadway and City of North Las Vegas Oversized Waterline Projects

o   Utilized existing professional relationships, governmental contacts and engineers to obtain expedited review and permit issuance for the projects;

o   Phase II in process 

·      Temporary Construction ROW for a section of City of North Las Vegas Oversized Waterline Phase I (N-85013/D);

·      Access Roadway ROWs for Air Liquide Hydrogen and NV Energy (N-99564 & N-99614);

·      Amendment to City of North Las Vegas Oversized Waterline Phase II (N-96576 - in process);

·      Three separate Mineral Material Sales Contracts for Solo Mountain and Miners Mesa

 

Ms. Cole is experienced in escrow management.  She has successfully managed closings in excess of $200 million.  Ms. Cole has handled several high-profile, complex closings such as the Faraday Future land deal.  

 Education

  •  Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA

    magna cum laude

  •  Juris Doctor, Mitchell Hamline School of Law, Summa Cum Laude

    Nevada Bar Candidate

 Community Involvement

Lisa’s husband Dennis Cole owned a local CrossFit affiliate in Las Vegas, where they hosted numerous community service events throughout the year, including a semi-annual blood drive; fundraising for breast cancer research and testing; support to local homeless high schoolers; and many other charities.