Valerie Wagner Long

Valerie Long guides property owners and developers through the intricacies of obtaining local government land use approvals throughout the Charlottesville region. Her experience includes obtaining rezonings, special use permits, proffer amendments, variances, and design review approvals for a variety of projects, including mixed-use/planned unit developments, multi-family and student housing projects, hotels, retail centers, an inpatient community hospital, research parks, industrial sites, wireless telecommunications facilities, private schools, and the creation of a new zoning district for a national historic landmark. With the growing opportunities for renewable energy projects in Virginia, Valerie has also supported community and utility-scale renewable energy developers in securing necessary land use approvals for solar facilities.

She is also experienced in the other aspects of commercial, residential and industrial developments, representing parties in real estate transactions throughout the development cycle, from negotiating the purchase/sale of land, due diligence, entitlements, acquisitions/dispositions, site development, financing, and leasing.

The Best Lawyers in America^® has recognized her as a top attorney for both Land Use & Zoning and Real Estate Law (2009-present) and awarded her the title of Charlottesville Real Estate Law “Lawyer of the Year” in its 2014, 2016 and 2019 editions. Valerie is ranked by Chambers USA for Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use – Southern Virginia (2023-present). She has been named among Virginia’s “Legal Elite” by Virginia Business (2008-present), and in 2019, she was named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly's inaugural class of “Influential Women of Law.”

Valerie is active in the Charlottesville community, serving on the board of the Central Virginia Partnership for Economic Development and the Albemarle County Fire and Rescue Foundation. She is the past chair of the board of both the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Free Enterprise Forum. In addition, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors appointed Valerie to serve on Crozet Community Advisory Committee and the Development Process Review Task Force, which developed measures to improve the review process for development projects. She continues to work to improve the development review process through volunteer advocacy efforts with the Charlottesville Area Developers Roundtable and the Urban Land Institute. Valerie previously served on the United Way Board of Directors, and is a graduate of Leadership Charlottesville and Lead Virginia.

Valerie earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in Political Economy from Tulane University, and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. While in law school, she served on the managing board of the Virginia Environmental Law Journal.