Erika Leachman
Principal & Founder
For two decades, Erika has collaborated with local agencies and real estate development teams to transform communities with award-winning projects and strategic partnerships.
Background & Experience.
Erika founded Bjornstad to build on 20 years of experience in land use planning, development consulting, environmental and regulatory compliance, and permitting to generate opportunities in real estate development in the Twin Cities and beyond. Prior to forming Bjornstad LLC, Erika served as a senior land use planner in local government for 7 years, followed by 13 years of private consulting in land use, development, and regulatory compliance. An enthusiastic planner and project manager, Erika has a 'knack' for planning and development as a means to community identity and resilience. She leads teams to complete complex, high-profile planning and development projects and related technical analyses and permitting. She thrives leading projects that create new mixed-use housing, flexible commercial and industrial spaces, landmark hotels and visitor-attracting uses, regional parks, recreation facilities, and multi-use trails, senior housing/life plan communities, downtown corridor revitalization, and shoreline/coastal access and recreation. Erika specializes in urban infill/mixed-use development, specific plans/master plans, general plan updates, renewable energy development, coastal and hydrologic processes, and multi-jurisdictional hazards. She also has substantial recent experience with legal cannabis regulations, including local ordinance development, licensing and operations, and equity analysis. Erika has also designed and implemented powerful community engagement programs for her projects using unique and equitable strategies to maximize participation in planning and development processes, including presenting and MC'ing at well over 250 public meetings and workshops. In her work, she has managed over $4.8 million in planning, permitting, and development projects, ensuring efficient and reliable project outcomes for stakeholders. Erika is also experienced in public financing programs for community development, redevelopment, and long-range planning, including grant programs, community fundraising initiatives, special districts, and public-private partnerships.
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Erika graduated from the University of California (UC) Santa Barbara in Environmental Planning and completed graduate studies at UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design.
Key Project Experience.
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Froom Ranch Specific Plan. Erika managed the preparation of the Froom Ranch Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR), where she worked closely with the development team to create a site plan for a senior residential community that avoided significant impacts to onsite biological resources, cultural resources, and hydrologic constraints.
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Goleta Community Plan Update. Erika managed the update of the community plan for the Eastern Goleta Valley, a 44,000-acre unincorporated community comprising residential, commercial, urban agriculture, and public land uses, including recommended multi-family housing sites to serve community needs and mixed-use commercial infill development and redevelopment opportunities.
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Los Angeles Zoo Vision Plan. Erika managed the EIR for the Los Angeles Zoo Vision Plan, including phased redevelopment over 20 years to modernize animal habitats, stormwater management, onsite renewable energy and charging facilities, and visitor amenities.
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500 Broadway Mixed Use Project. Erika managed the EIR and off-site affordable housing site planning for a 5-story mixed-use infill redevelopment project, creating much-needed housing, grocery, retail, and flex commercial space in a busy downtown served by regional light rail.
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Santa Barbara County Recreation Master Plan. Erika leads the planning and development of near-term and long-range capital projects to meet local needs for parks, recreation facilities, and trails, including public-private partnerships, fundraising, grant funding, and implementation programs, as well as policy and development standards to foster private investment in recreational uses.
Contact.
I am seeking partners for real estate development and strategic planning projects. Let's connect!
612-807-1178