Moore & Van Allen Expands Land Use & Rezoning Team and Appoints New Co-Leader
Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is pleased to announce that Shad Spencer, former zoning administrator for the City of Charlotte’s Planning, Design & Development Department, has joined the firm’s Zoning, Entitlement & Land Use team as a zoning consultant. Additionally, the firm has elevated Land Use & Zoning Consultant Bridget Grant to co-lead the team, along with veteran Commercial Real Estate Member Jeff Brown.
“We are pleased to welcome Shad and thrilled to promote Bridget to this position of leadership. Specifically, as Charlotte works to implement its 2040 Plan and newly approved Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), Shad’s deep understanding of the city’s land development protocols and Bridget’s experience in moving projects forward will continue to position our clients for success,” said Jeff.
Before joining MVA, Shad served for more than 26 years in Charlotte’s Planning, Design & Development Department, including most recently as the leader of its Zoning Compliance team. In this role, he oversaw a team of nearly 20 supervisors, planners, project managers, administration specialists, coordinators and others, as they worked to review and process zoning requests. At MVA, Shad will work with Jeff, Bridget, Keith MacVean, and John Floyd to advise the firm’s clients on the many intricacies of land use, help to support rezoning efforts, and provide technical guidance on a variety of development and transportation matters.
“After many enriching years with the City of Charlotte, I am excited to change course and join MVA’s first rate real estate team,” Shad said. “I was honored to work with MVA representatives while at the city and look forward to continuing to build these relationships as a colleague, and to serve MVA’s many clients with my knowledge of the municipal land development and zoning process.”
Along with team members Jeff and Keith, Bridget helps clients navigate various regulatory environments associated with the entitlement and permitting process. She has nearly 20 years of land planning and urban design experience in both the private and public sector. Before joining the firm, she was a planning coordinator for the City of Charlotte, providing technical and design guidance on complex development projects, policy implementation, and community planning. In her time at MVA, Bridget has helped lead transformational rezonings such as River District, Camp North End, Ballantyne Reimagined, Elizabeth on 7th, the new mixed use development and Novant Community Hospital at Steele Creek and I-485, as well as other efforts throughout the region. Her experience has given her extensive knowledge in coordinating public/private projects and developing solutions that balance community interest, regulatory standards and real estate trends.
“I am honored to step into this new role and look forward to working alongside Shad, a highly respected and talented member of Charlotte’s development community,” said Bridget. “This is an exciting time for both MVA and Charlotte, as the city’s new UDO takes effect. We look forward to helping our clients navigate the changing regulatory approaches to ensure their projects can move forward without interruption or unexpected expenditures.”
The firm’s Zoning, Entitlement & Land Use team has extensive experience working with municipalities and other state and local agencies throughout the Carolinas, and works seamlessly with MVA’s real estate, economic development, government relations, and public affairs professionals to provide a comprehensive approach to meet clients’ needs. Collectively, the team has decades of experience handling land use, zoning, and regulatory matters involving high-profile and complex projects in the Charlotte region and beyond. Concurrently, the team recognizes that small land use matters can have tremendous implications for clients and offers the knowledge and efficiency needed to serve the demands of a broad array of projects and challenges.