Vinette D. Godelia

Overview

Vinette Godelia focuses her practice on the defense and negotiation of complex land development approvals under Florida’s growth management laws and local government regulations. She leads legal and expert consultant teams on planning issues throughout the state of Florida.

Vinette is a skilled negotiator and has successfully secured approvals for large-scale projects, including negotiating high-profile development agreements for clients that cumulatively exceed $20 billion. She is also highly experienced in developing targeted revisions to comprehensive plans and land development regulations to facilitate site-specific project development.

Vinette has particular experience advising clients in resource extraction and energy operations ranging from due diligence to establishment of projects across the state to novel issues relating to the redevelopment of legacy mining lands for agricultural, residential, commercial and industrial uses.

Areas of Concentration:

Land Use & Zoning

Mining Operations & Resource Extraction – Permitting, Compliance, Enforcement
Energy and Utilities – Solar Power Permitting, Natural Gas Plants, Oil Exploration and Production
Development Agreements – Public-Private Partnership Agreements, Economic Development, Concurrency and Impact Fee Agreements
Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code Amendments
Local Development Order Approvals – Annexation, Comprehensive Plan Amendments, Land Development Code Amendments, Conditional Uses, Variances, Right-of-Way Vacations
Special Exceptions, Special Uses, Variances, Code Enforcement – Local Code Enforcement Board Defense and Litigation
Comprehensive Plan Compliance & Consistency Challenges
Administrative Hearings & Appeals

Prior to joining the firm, Vinette was a Shareholder in a boutique law firm in Tallahassee, Florida. Before her legal career, she worked with Visit Florida, the state’s official tourism organization, and served as head of the Mid-Atlantic office in Washington, D.C.

Representative Experience

Represents Mosaic, the world’s leading integrated producer of concentrated phosphate and potash, in several matters relating to mine operations and permitting including work on over 50,000 acres in Manatee, DeSoto, Polk and Hardee Counties. Representation includes large area approvals, DRI rescissions, creation of comprehensive plan mining overlays, special exceptions, master plans and other development orders and resource impact approvals.
Represented the New Wales, Bartow Chemical Plant and Green Bay facilities in developing the regulatory and public involvement strategy for DRI exemptions and local government review of gypsum stack expansions in Polk County, Florida. The entitlements were supported by negotiations with the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on mitigation of impacts involving significant monitoring requirements.
Represented Seminole Electric Cooperative in due diligence review of properties within its geographic service area to assess permitting hurdles for renewable energy projects in light of constantly changing state law and local regulations on these highly charged issues.
Represented Duke Energy with the development process for a new Combined Cycle Power Plant. The matter involved procuring land use entitlements including comprehensive plan amendments and rezoning approvals for a 1,640-megawatt combined cycle natural gas plant in Citrus County.
Represented Seminole Electric in the development process for a new Combined Cycle Power Plant. The matter involved procuring land use entitlements including comprehensive plan amendments and rezoning approvals for a 1,130-megawatt plant in Putnam County.
Served as lead counsel for large developer working collaboratively with Polk County, the Polk County School Board, and municipalities to develop a comprehensive strategy for the construction of transportation, water, sewer, recreation and school facilities to serve significant growth in eastern Polk County.
Represented client in the reworking of historic entitlements for a mixed use project located off Florida Interstate 4 in Polk County, Florida. The matter required the negotiation of significant changes to the regulatory scheme applicable to the project including the removal of development of regional impact restrictions through novel interpretations of state and local law, approval of new comprehensive plan and code amendments, negotiation of infrastructure related development agreements and other related issues.
Represented developer and conducted due diligence review before the City of Tallahassee and other community groups to allow the purchase and development of student focused multi-family housing development in a historic African-American community. The project was met with significant public opposition and required negotiation of terms that the neighborhood could find acceptable to incorporate design elements and uses supportive of the history of the area and the neighborhood.

Professional & Community Involvement

Florida State University
- The Center for Real Estate Education & Research, Executive Board, Board Member, 2022-Present
American Planning Association (APA) Florida Chapter, 2014-Present
The Florida Bar
- Real Property, Probate Trust Law Section (RPPTL), 2010-Present
  - Membership & Inclusion Committee, 2020-Present
  - Development & Land Use Committee, 2014-Present
- City, County and Local Government Law Section (CCLGL), 2008-Present
- Environmental and Land Use Law Section (ELULS), 2002-Present
Florida State University College of Law
- Juris Doctor Advisor, 2014-2021
- Adjunct Professor
  - Advanced Real Estate 2023, 2024-Present
  - Life Cycle of a Real Estate Deal, Spring 2020
  - Practicing Environmental Law in Florida, Spring 2019
  - Florida Real Estate Law Practice – Beyond the Fundamentals, Spring 2018
American College of Environmental Lawyers (ACOEL), Fellow, 2020
Zonta International, 2014-2021
Foundation for Leon County Schools, 2017-2019
Children’s Home Society, Pro Bono Counsel, 2004-2017
Big Bend Habitat for Humanity, 2008-2014

Recognition

Forida Trend, Legal Elite NOTABLE – Women Leaders in Law, 2024
The Best Lawyers in America, 2018-Present
Florida Super Lawyers, 2020-Present
- Rising Star, 2010-2012
Florida Trend, Florida Legal Elite, 2014-2015, 2018-2019, 2022
Leadership Florida, Class XXIX

Publications & Presentations

Events: Addressing the Affordable Housing Crisis
Florida Land Use Law Conference, CLE International|August 2024

Land Development News Update, Publications: Hillsborough County Proposes Significant Updates to Comprehensive Plan
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|October 2022

Events: Turning Dirt – Opportunities for Women in Real Estate Development
Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Professional Women's Forum|October 2022

Events: Women in Planning -> Making Moves
APA Florida Planning Conference|September 2022

Government Affairs News Update, Land Development News Update, Publications: Hillsborough County Proposes Significant Updates to Comprehensive Plan
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|July 2022

Government Affairs News Update, Land Development News Update, Publications: What's Developing | Fall 2021
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|September 2021

Events: Exactions Toolbox: From Dedications to Development Fees, a Legal Primer
2021 Florida APA Conference: UF Speaker Sessions|September 2021

Events: Growth Management - Legislative & Case Law Update
The Florida Bar Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021 |August 2021

Events: Practical Guide to Zoning and Land Use Law Challenges to Development Orders
NBI Inc.|August 2013

Events: What’s Left of Development Permitting
Legislative & Case Law Update Seminar, The Florida Bar Real Property|April 2013

Events: Comprehensive Planning & Impact Fees Under the New SB 360 Paradigm - Environmental and Land use Considerations for Real Estate Transactions Seminar
Florida Bar Environmental and Land Use Law Section and the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section|June 2010

Events: What’s Ahead for DRIs?
Growth Management, Energy, Climate Change and the Environmental Short Course, Florida Chamber, 2009 & 2010|April 2010

Events: Implementation, Cluster Development, Urban Infill, Reducing VMT
Energy & Climate Change Panel, Florida Chamber’s Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School|July 2009

Events: The Intersection of Transportation and Florida Law
Planning Law and Ethics Workshop, Florida Section of the Institute of Engineers (FSITE)|June 2009

Events: Understand the Development and Utilization of the Comprehensive Plan
Land Use Law: Current Issues in Subdivisions, Annexation and Zoning, NBI, Inc.|February 2009

Publications: Environmental Agencies, Florida Administrative Practice
The Florida Bar|August 2008

Events: Litigating Land Use
Litigating Land Use Conference, CLE International|March 2008

Publications: Administrative and Judicial Review of Land Use Decisions
Florida Land Use and Environmental Law|November 2006