Just returned from a week in Denver where I enjoyed some good family time as well as celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute at Denver University Law School. I co-founded the institute in 1991 with two legal eagle friends, Prof. Ed Ziegler and Tom Ragonetti.

 

Through the hard work over the years of many, like executive directors James Van Hemert and Susan Daggett, it has become a leading national research and conference institute on land use and sustainable development law. 500 people were in attendance this year.

At the kickoff plenary session I was honored to share some memorial thoughts about my good friend and fishing buddy Prof. Ziegler who passed away unexpectedly a few months ago.

 

 

Ed was known as the weight of authority on land use law nationally, having published a five-volume treatise on the subject.  But much more than that he was a wonderful family man and lover of nature—not to mention an all-star back in the 1960s for Notre Dame where he was called Zig Zag Ziegler for his elusive running style. Ed even had audacity to outfish me occasionally.

 

I was also delighted to hear my good friend and longtime partner at Clarion Associates, Don Elliott, present a fast-paced overview of his well-regarded new book at the conference plenary luncheon. Don’s only gear is high!

 

 

As I flew back to Florida for the winter and some serious piscatorial research, I had a smile on my face thinking how fortunate I have been to cross paths with such a stellar group of friends and community-minded civic leaders. What a privilege as well as lots of fun!