Ronald M. Lucas

Ron concentrates his practice on real estate matters, primarily zoning and land development. He has handled a wide range of real estate matters from planning to entitlements and development for commercial, industrial, institutional and residential projects. On large projects, he helps clients identify issues and solve problems in order to overcome hurdles and achieve their objectives.

Ron has represented clients in more than 35 Pennsylvania counties, before state regulatory agencies and before all appellate courts in Pennsylvania. He has also served as special counsel for numerous municipalities. He successfully tried the longest construction case against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania before the Board of Claims, and was also successful in obtaining one of only two exemptions from local business privilege taxes authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

He has written and lectured on land use matters for more than 40 years for attorneys, other licensed professionals, local government officials, and before various organizations, including the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the Penn State Transportation Engineering and Safety Conference, the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors, the Pennsylvania Surveyors’ Conference, the American Planning Association, the Pennsylvania Planning Association and the former Department of Community Affairs. Ron is a member of the Legal Action Network for Development Strategies of the National Association of Homebuilders. He is a former Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Municipal Law Section.

Representative Experience

Student Housing Development Locations:

• State College Borough, Centre County – The Standard at State College, The Metropolitan
• The Legacy, Highland
• College Township, Centre County – The Retreat at State College
• Ferguson Township, Centre County – Yards at Old State, Copper Beech
• Patton Township, Centre County – The Station at State College, Copper Beech
• White Township, Indiana County – Copper Beech

Supply Chain Development:

• ABF Freight Truck Terminal Expansion
• Sid Tool Distribution Center
• Middlesex Rd Distribution Center
• Blue Mountain Distribution Center
• Logisticenter at Carlisle
• General Mills Distribution Center
• Trade Center 44
• Carlisle Distribution Center
• Ames Distribution Center

Convenience Store Development:

• Sheetz – PA Counties: Adams, Berks, Centre, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Luzerne, York
• Loves Travel Stops – PA Counties: Berks, Cumberland, Lebanon
• Hess – PA Counties: Dauphin, Lebanon

Affiliations

• Pennsylvania Bar Association, Municipal Law Section Council, Former Chair
• Legal Action Network for Development Strategies of the National Association of Homebuilders
• Dauphin County Bar Association

Recognition

• Named to The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Land Use and Zoning Law since 2007
• As published in Philadelphia magazine, recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer in the areas of Land Use and Zoning Law, selected by his peers as among the top 5 percent of lawyers in the Commonwealth
• Named a “Mover and Shaker” in Business Advocacy and Law by the Central Penn Business Journal

Education

• Dickinson School of Law of The Pennsylvania State University, J.D.
• Grove City College, A.B.

Bar Admissions

• Pennsylvania

Court Admissions

• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court