In The News

Comstock’s “She Who Leads”

Comstock’s Magazine | May 9, 2017

Martha Lofgren is featured in the Comstock’s annual salute to women in leadership, celebrating extraordinary women of influence throughout the Capital Region who are redefining leadership on their own terms.

Read the full article here.

In The News

Ann Madden Rice: From kitchen to executive suite

SBJ | Mar 3, 2017

Having served on the Sacramento Metro Chamber board with Rice, Martha Lofgren was quoted with regard to Rice’s work and engagement in the business community.

Read the full article here.

Case Study

Folsom American River Crossing

Client: City of Folsom

Lead Partner: Martha Lofgren

• As City Manager, Martha Lofgren negotiated agreement between local and federal agencies for a $117M construction project to build Folsom’s American River Crossing
• Personally assisted in negotiations with congressional representatives, US Army Corps of Engineers, and US Bureau of Reclamation for bridge funding after an existing two-lane bridge was closed due to terrorist concerns after 9/11
• Secured local support of SACOG and Sacramento Transportation Authority to include funding in regional transportation funding programs, including Measure A Sales Tax Renewal

Back to Case Studies

Case Study

Highway 50 Corridor Mobility Partnership

Client: Highway 50 Corridor Mobility Partnership

Lead Partner: Martha Lofgren

Brewer Lofgren coordinated a public-private partnership consisting of four public agencies (Sacramento County, El Dorado County, Folsom, Rancho Cordova) and four private landowners for the development of a coordinated transportation plan and funding recommendations to alleviate traffic on the Highway 50 Corridor in the eastern Sacramento, California region. The firm:

• Created alliances with Caltrans, SACOG, and Sacramento Regional Transit District as advisory members to the partnership
• Ensured that Phase 1 of the Highway 50 Program Priority Transportation Improvements was successfully ratified by each of the four public agencies. The firm drafted an ordinance for a regional impact fee and a Memorandum of Understanding to finance the first set of improvements. This memorandum provided a governance structure as an alternative to a more formal Joint Powers Authority and served as a template for a City/County Memorandum of Understanding on development fees
• Successfully obtained $22 million in state funding in 2007 for the Highway 50 Corridor Mobility Partnership. It was the only off-highway project to qualify for such funding

Back to Case Studies

Case Study

Charitable Land Donation to Public Agencies

Lot A and Lot Y Donations to City of Folsom

Client: Alleghany Properties

Lead Partner: Martha Lofgren

Negotiated the donation of two separate parcels, owned by private entities, to the City of Folsom via Charitable Donation agreements in exchange for relief from assessment district payments and concurrence by public agency in tax deduction status.

• Prepared Letter of Intents and reviewed appraisals obtained by clients
• Drafted Charitable Donation Agreements and Gift Deeds
• Presented terms to City Manager and City Attorney, as well as providing overview to elected officials of benefits to City
• City agreed to assume assessment payments, relieving landowner of any future financial obligations
• City consented to characterization of transactions to qualify for tax deductions
• One transaction resulted in the preservation of heritage oak trees and potential Native American artifacts, resulting in an award to the landowner by the local Historic Preservation League
• Second transaction resolved issue of agency use of private property for a drainage facility, removing any real development potential for the site

Back to Case Studies

Case Study

Downtown Sacramento Railyards

Client: Southern Pacific Transportation Co. and, subsequently, Union Pacific Railroad

Lead Partner: Roy Brewer

Secured eight consecutive unanimous approvals in the 1990s, including the first ever approval of a Specific Plan for ground known to contain contaminated soil and groundwater, and approvals obtained in advance of Remedial Action Plans having been approved or implemented for all of the property. The firm conducted 160+ community meetings and public hearings, including adjacent residential neighborhoods and business districts, various stakeholder interest groups and the Sacramento Environmental Commission, among others.

Approvals included certification of:

• EIR
• Railyards Specific Plan
• Special Planning District Zoning Ordinance
• 1st Tentative Map and Conditions of Approval for the same
• 1st Infrastructure Financing Plan and the 1st Implementation Ordinance
• 1st Development Agreement for the Railyards
• Three-party MOU between SPTCo, DTSC and the City of Sacramento related to protocols to guide development of the property and the extension of 7th Street through an active railyards
• Successfully negotiated the transfer of SPTCo property to the City for eventual transfer to the US General Services Administration for construction of the Federal Courthouse
• Successfully negotiated an agreement defining the terms by which the 7th Street corridor would be remediated on an accelerated schedule and railroad bridge crossings constructed to ensure uninterrupted rail traffic while 7th Street was constructed
• Successfully negotiated a four-party agreement commissioning the initial arena feasibility study
• Assisted the client managing the consultant team during preparation of revisions to the 1994 Railyards Specific Plan and contributed to that effort as land development counsel

Back to Case Studies

Case Study

Village at Squaw Valley

Client: Intrawest Development Company

Lead Partner: Roy Brewer

• Represented Intrawest, the largest developer of ski resort properties in North America at the time, during the development of this master planned ski resort community
• Served as advisor for property owner during the process of obtaining the General Plan Amendment, Rezoning, and Map for The Village at Squaw Valley, USA, in Placer County

Back to Case Studies

Case Study

White Rock Springs Ranch; Carr Trust Project – Folsom South Plan Area

Client: Gragg Ranch Recovery Acquisition LLC

Lead Partner: Martha Lofgren

The firm negotiated and drafted Development Agreement Amendments and Conditions of Approval for two separate projects (under common ownership) within the Folsom South Plan Area. White Rock Springs Ranch included 395 single family homes and the Carr Trust Project included 28 single family homes. Each project included Vested Tentative Maps, Design Guidelines and Affordable Housing Plans. The firm successfully collaborated with a consultant team consisting of engineers, planners and environmental consultants to update Development Agreement terms to incorporate and protect new land use entitlements. Key project features incorporated into development agreements included:

• Application of “minor administrative modification” protections from Specific Plan to truncate approval process
• Negotiation of vested rights protections for updated entitlements
• Protection of landowner rights vis-à-vis other adjacent owners

Back to Case Studies

Case Study

Entitlement Audits

Clients: Various

Lead  Partner: Martha Lofgren

• Negotiated reduction of affordable housing obligation required by Conditions of Approval.
• Coordinated multi-party negotiations between City of Folsom, bond surety and landowner to extend timelines for constructing subdivision improvements, including reimbursement from landscaping and lighting district.
• Negotiated release of school district site in the City of Woodland.

Back to Case Studies

Case Study

Granite Construction Mining Permits

Client: Granite Construction

Lead Partner: Martha Lofgren

• Assisted with public agency negotiations on permit conditions for mining permits for Granite Construction, one of the nation’s largest heavy civil contractors and construction materials producers.
• Negotiated permits for the County of Sacramento, City of Rancho Cordova, and other local agencies impacted by truck traffic from mining operations. The firm also provided review and advice on preparation of environmental review documents under CEQA.
• Served as company liaison with local officials at all interested city and county agencies, including Sacramento Air Quality Management District and Capital Southeast Connector Joint Powers Authority.
• Negotiated renewal of existing mining permits without triggering additional environmental review or new conditions on permit.

Back to Case Studies