A dedicated entitlement practice serving developers and builders across the north Atlanta metro. Senior-level expertise on every engagement, from initial strategy through the final vote.
William Latta is a licensed Professional Engineer with 15 years of experience in civil engineering and land use across the United States. After spending years managing projects and entitlements for developers, homebuilders, and commercial clients, he founded Meridian Land Consulting to offer something larger firms cannot: dedicated, senior-level attention on every single project.
He has worked directly with planning departments, zoning staff, and elected officials across the Southeast — and brings the skills to build relationships and credibility to each engagement.
Meridian works alongside clients managing the technical and planning dimensions of the pre-design and entitlement process to ensure nothing falls between disciplines.
He has experience presenting to entitlement boards and commissions throughout the United States and currently serves as Chairman of the zoning board of his local jurisdiction
It's a fair question. You've probably worked with both. Here's the honest answer — and why the distinction matters when your approval timeline is on the line.
| What Matters to You | Meridian Land Consulting | Large Civil Engineering Firm | Land Use Attorney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who works your project | ✓The principal — every call, meeting, and hearing | —Senior pitch, junior execution. You meet the partner; a project manager does the work. | ◐Typically the attorney, but technical prep is delegated or absent |
| Focus on entitlements | ✓100% — it's our only service | —Entitlements compete with engineering production work for internal priority | ◐Legal strategy only — technical application work requires a separate partner |
| Local jurisdiction knowledge | ✓Deep, current relationships with planning staff across 9+ north Atlanta jurisdictions | ◐General knowledge, but spread thin across many service areas | ◐Varies — some attorneys specialize locally, many don't |
| Pricing transparency | ✓Fixed-fee engagements — you know the cost before we start | —Hourly billing with unpredictable totals; scope creep is common | —Hourly rates typically $300–$600/hr; complex cases escalate quickly |
| Responsiveness | ✓Direct line to the person doing the work — hours, not days | —Routed through account managers and project coordinators | ◐Attorneys are responsive, but technical questions get queued |
| Technical PE credibility | ✓Licensed PE with direct engineering analysis capability | ✓PE staff available, though often not assigned to entitlement work | —No engineering license — technical issues must be referred out |
| Works alongside your attorney | ✓Designed to complement legal counsel — we handle technical, they handle legal | ◐Coordination possible but not their primary model | ✓This is exactly their role — legal strategy is their strength |
"The best outcome for a complex entitlement is usually a team: an attorney who knows the legal strategy, and a technical expert who knows the jurisdiction, the staff, and how to build a persuasive application. Meridian is built to be that technical partner — so your attorney can focus on what they do best."
— [Your Name], PE · Principal, Meridian Land ConsultingWhether you have an active rezoning underway, a site under contract, or simply want to understand your options before committing — we are glad to have a conversation. Most engagements begin with a straightforward call.
We typically respond within one business day.