Christe is a member of the firm’s Land Use practice group. She has built a reputation for strategic counseling that successfully guides a client through the entire life span of a development project, from the initial planning and strategy phase, through entitlement, and to the defense of approvals on appeal if necessary. Her tenacity and sense of fair dealing have allowed her to attract and retain some of the region’s most prominent public and private clients.

Christe is ranked by Chambers USA as an industry leader in land use law, and reviewers have called her “one of the top land use lawyers in the state.” Christe is a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. In addition, she has been repeatedly recognized by The Best Lawyers in America © as Lawyer of the Year in Land Use and Zoning, an honor given to only one attorney per practice area in the region.

Christe works in all areas of land use, including all phases of mixed-use and urban infill projects.

Christe’s project experience has included NWSL/MLS stadium expansion, condominium towers, office buildings, hotels, mixed-use developments, institutional expansion, public infrastructure, and Central City Master Plans for RiverPlace, OMSI, and Lloyd Center. Her work on complex, high-profile projects has had a lasting impact on the future of the region.

Christe is frequently asked to speak to client groups, other lawyers, and consultants on a wide array of topics, including successful permitting strategies, density transfers, constitutional limitations on exactions, and updates on legal developments in land use. She was appointed by Governor Kitzhaber to serve on the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) Task Force charged with re-writing the rules for UGB amendments, and she currently serves on the Board of Oregon Smart Growth.

From 1995 to 2008, Christe practiced land use and real estate law at Ball Janik LLP, becoming a partner and chair of that firm’s Land Use Practice Group.

Christe represented Mack Urban in a contested design review approval of a riverfront block in the South Waterfront.

Christe represents Trammell Crow in the UGB expansion, annexation, and entitlement of hundreds of acres of industrial land in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Christe represents Prologis, one of the nation’s largest industrial developers, in permitting and entitling its industrial uses within the metropolitan region.

Christe has handled the development, entitlement, and appeal work for Williams & Dame Development (WDD) in multiple projects. In Portland, Christe represented WDD in its redevelopment of the Central District of the South Waterfront, including development of code to permit condominium towers, office towers, a public waterfront greenway, the aerial tram, neighborhood parks, and a new street plan and streetscape. Christe has continued her work for WDD in hotel and office developments.

Christe successfully defended a City of Portland design review approval before the Land Use Board of Appeals and the Court of Appeals. The decisions upheld the City’s Floor Area Transfer provisions in the Johnson Creek Plan District.

Christe obtained approvals for Scanlan Kemper Bard (SKB) as the new owner of the Round at Beaverton to modify past entitlements and accommodate future redevelopment plans.

Christe represented a group of Pearl District landowners and subsequently Central Eastside landowners to negotiate a mutually acceptable resolution to the planned relocation of a homeless camp. The resolution in both cases prevented the planned relocation.

Christe represented Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in the site planning and entitlement of its Marquam Hill and South Waterfront campus buildings. This work entailed the preparation and City approval of both the Marquam Hill and South Waterfront Plans, each of which is a legislative enactment that amended City policy and zoning code provisions to permit institutional expansion of OHSU within the City of Portland. The zoning code amendments permitted an increase in density, use, and height in the District and approval of parking within the South Waterfront in a Type III CCPR approval. In writing and obtaining approval of the Marquam Hill Plan District, Christe helped OHSU achieve a fundamental and historic shift from a conditional use to a permitted use.

Christe also represented OHSU in the permitting, approval, and appeals that led to the successful development of the Portland Aerial Tram.

Christe White represented Onder Development in its entitlement and review process for a new downtown hotel and office building, including the resolution of sensitive historic preservation issues.

Christe represented Peregrine Sports, the current operator of Providence Park, in the expedited approval of a major stadium expansion over a public right of way. Providence Park is home to the Portland Timbers and the Portland Thorns professional soccer teams. Radler White’s work on behalf of Peregrine and the City was undertaken after consultation with ethics counsel, preparation of waiver letters, and establishment of ethical screens. Read more

Christe successfully obtained approval for a mixed-use development on a 2.5 acre block in Downtown Lake Oswego amid highly vocal and organized opposition, and she defended the local approvals on appeal.

Christe represented Central Catholic in its conditional use approval to light its exterior soccer, baseball, and football fields.

Christe represents PPS in its siting strategies and entitlements for several school campuses and outdoor fields.

Christe represented a lifestyle center developer through a contentious approval process to build a 300,000 square foot re-developed center and successfully defended the entitlements on appeal to the Land Use Board of Appeals. Christe has since obtained approval for additional centers in Washington and Oregon.

Christe has assisted Urban Asset Advisors, an active local developer of mixed-use residential projects, with entitlement review and approval for a variety of its local projects.

Christe has represented the University of Portland in its campus expansion and development, obtaining final approval of its long-term master plan and allowing a historic expansion of the University’s North Portland campus. She has also assisted with site remediation and land use approval to develop the waterfront area of the University’s river campus with new athletic fields, roads, and landscaping.

Christe represented ESCO Corporation in its successful negotiations with the City of Portland to modernize the zoning designation of its 20-acre industrial manufacturing campus, which has been in continuous operation for more than 100 years.

Christe represents OMSI, RiverPlace, and Lloyd Center in Central City Maser Plan entitlements that will transform significant acreage in the City of Portland into vibrant, mission-oriented, mixed-use urban centers.

  • American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Fellow, 2018-present
  • Chambers USA, Industry Leader, Land Use and Zoning Law, 2014-present
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Land Use and Zoning Law, 2008-present
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Land Use and Zoning Lawyer of the Year for the Portland area, 2018 and 2024
  • Oregon Super Lawyers, Land Use and Zoning Law, 2006-2007, 2015-present