Practice Areas
Our values include a passion to helping clients solve complicated zoning and land use matters that align clients in utilizing their properties to the maximum flexibility afforded under the law, while helping clients get on with conducting their operations and achieving their business goals.
Zoning/Land Use
When it comes to zoning and land use matters in central Ohio, this firm - with Donald T. Plank’s lead and oversight - is one of the premier law firms in the field of zoning and land use in central Ohio.
Land Development
From the first moment that the client explains what his/her objective is for a particular property, the lawyers at the Plank Law Firm prepare a plan for achieving that objective.
Real Estate Transactions
The Plank Law Firm represents both buyers in small and multi-million dollar commercial real estate purchase and sale transactions (acquisitions and dispositions) in connection with office, retail, industrial, multi-family, and residential properties.
Real Estate Litigation
Plank Law Firm has a seasoned litigation department, experienced in litigating civil and administrative cases involving real estate, agriculture, construction, personal injury, trucking company liability, and contract issues.
Eminent Domain &
Inverse Condemnation
Eminent domain cases are complex, both in process and in terminology. Laws that may seem clear-cut may lead to conflicts between the parties in interpretation and are constantly changing.
Property industries we serve
Land
The Plank Law Firm handles all aspects of land entitlements necessary to prepare real property for redevelopment, new development, or urban and suburban infill development including annexation, appropriation/condemnation, negotiating and securing easements for utilities and access, lot split work and subdivision approval, and obtaining approval of all zoning/land use entitlements and permitting, including re-zonings, conditional use permits, special use permits, variances (use and area), and all other permits required to meet our clients’ development needs.
Mixed-Use
Our office and its team of attorneys work on sophisticated, large- and small-scale development projects that involve a mix of uses for the entirety of a development site for cohesive design, high quality and compatible architectural features used throughout, and shared amenities and recreational spaces for the development’s users, owners, and occupants. Examples of mixed-use developments, such as the ones handled by the Plank Law Firm, include a mix of the following property uses: Office, retail, single-family residential, condominium, multi-family residential, institutional uses, public services, open space/green space, and industrial uses.
Retail
Our firm provides superior legal services on the leasing, acquisition and disposition, land use/zoning entitlements, and the development of many different types of retail establishments from stand-alone retail services buildings to commercial shopping centers and outparcels.
Hotel
This firm assists clients with their real estate legal, land use/zoning, and development needs as it relates to hotel development. The Indus Hotel property in Grove City, Ohio, is the most recent hotel project for which this firm has been involved.
Office
This firm spearheads the legal efforts in the leasing, acquisition and disposition, land use/zoning entitlements, and the development of office buildings throughout central Ohio.
Single-Family Residential
The Plank Law Firm provides legal services to successfully secure the preliminary development plan, re-zonings to a Planned Unit District, and final development plan and plat approvals for small scale single-family residential subdivisions and large single-family residential subdivisions alike.
Multi-Family Residential
Our office provides legal services for all aspects of multi-family (apartment) residential developments throughout central Ohio.
Multi-Family Residential (Senior Housing and Affordable Housing)
This office routinely works on the development, establishment, and zoning/land use entitlements in connection with projects involving senior housing and affordable housing dwelling units, which are subject to tax credits issued by state and local governmental entities with adherence to specialized criteria and mandates under federal law and program rules.
Institutional
This firm has a long history of providing all aspects of real estate legal services necessary to establish the development of new, or conversion of older buildings for, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and drug and alcohol rehab facilities. In addition, Don Plank has worked on several high-profile cases involving the establishment of half-way houses and group homes in central Ohio neighborhoods. This firm has a deep understanding of the federal Fair Housing Act and how its regulations and protections relate to, and support, these types of projects.
Industrial
The Plank Law Firm routinely assists small and large single building industrial users (as well as large scale industrial warehouse developers) with development plan approvals, special use permits, variances, re-zonings, as well as transactional work (leasing and acquisitions) to help secure the requisite governmental approvals and legal real estate purchase and lease agreements necessary to establish the use and occupancy of the site for industrial use.
