Nicki Carlsen

Practice Areas

Nicki is a senior land use attorney providing counseling and litigation advice for clients with complex development projects and regulatory disputes. Nicki brings a strategic approach and thoughtful leadership to her clients – local, national, and international companies.

Nicki has more than 30 years of experience with federal, state, and local regulations affecting development projects, including land use planning and subdivision laws, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), California Coastal Act, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Clean Water Act, endangered species acts, and cultural resources requirements. Nicki oversees the adequacy of CEQA/NEPA documents, and she has an in-depth understanding of issues related to transportation, greenhouse gas emissions, and air quality.

Nicki’s land use experience extends to all project entitlements, including general plan amendments, specific plans, development agreements, zone changes, subdivisions, use permits, and coastal development permits. She also provides guidance on specialized requirements for endangered species, historic resources, wetlands, affordable housing, and California’s “vehicle miles traveled” method of evaluating transportation.

Nicki seeks to achieve settlement to avoid protracted battles, but she also defends project approvals in trial and appellate courts and has also prosecuted actions on behalf of property owners to obtain land use entitlements.

Education