Renee France is a partner in the firm's Land Use practice group, where she helps clients successfully navigate complex land use and environmental issues in residential, commercial, mixed-use, industrial, resort, and utility development projects in multiple jurisdictions.

Prior to joining Radler, White, Parks & Alexander, Renee served as Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Oregon Department of Justice, where she was the Primary Contact Counsel for the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) and the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC). She provided legal advice to ODOE on a variety of administrative law issues and served as legal counsel to EFSC and the ODOE Siting Division on complex and often high-profile energy facility siting applications. She was also lead counsel for ODOE in contested case proceedings for the energy facility site certificate process.

In her land use practice, Renee helps private and public clients obtain a wide range of land use approvals and permits, including zoning and comprehensive plan amendments, greenway and environmental reviews, land divisions and property line adjustments, design reviews, development reviews, floor area transfers, nonconforming use expansions, and annexations. She also represents clients in land use hearings before local decision makers and appeals to the Land Use Board of Appeals and Oregon Court of Appeals.

In her environmental practice, Renee advises clients on a wide range of federal, state, and local issues, including wetlands regulation, contaminated property liability and clean-up laws, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act.

Renee has also assisted clients with environmental due diligence inquiries and brownfield redevelopments, working with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality on cleanup requirements and other regulations.

Renee has significant knowledge of the federal Clean Water Act and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Permitting Program. She has assisted clients with permits for point source discharge, including businesses and landowners that operate injection wells subject to regulation under the Underground Injection Controls (UIC) program.

From 2000 to 2012, Renee practiced land use, environmental and natural resources law with Ball Janik LLP. She was at the Department of Justice from 2012 to 2017.

Renee is a member of the Oregon State Bar Association and a Founding Member of Women in Environment.

publications

"Managing Environmental Risks through Environment Liability Buyouts" - Environmental Law News, Spring 2007

speaking

“Affordable and Workforce Housing, Coastal Challenges and Opportunities,” presenter, Shoreline Regulation, Permitting & Development in Oregon, the Seminar Group CLE Webcast, August 12, 2020

“Affordable and Workforce Housing, Coastal Challenges and Opportunities,” presenter, Shoreline Regulation, Permitting & Development in Oregon, the Seminar Group CLE Webcast, August 12, 2020

“City of Portland 2019 Code Changes and Pending Changes,” co-presenter with Zoee Powers, 23rd Annual Oregon Land Use Law Seminar, Portland, Oregon, December 4, 2019.

“Oregon Legislative Update – Real Estate and Land Use,” co-presenter with Land Use practice group, Radler, White, Parks & Alexander Lunch Series, July 18, 2019.

“FEMA Bi-Op and Floodplain Issues,” co-presenter with Zoee Powers, 22nd Annual Oregon Land Use Law Seminar, Portland, Oregon, December 12, 2018.