Overview
Our litigation team has substantial experience representing clients in land use, zoning, environmental and administrative matters throughout the process—from contested hearings through appeal. The members of our land use team draw upon our litigators early in the process to provide litigation analysis and support. Our litigators are experienced trial and administrative attorneys who appear regularly in state and federal court and administrative proceedings throughout Florida. Our attorneys have extensive experience litigating a variety of environmental and land use claims. Many of the claims include disputes regarding comprehensive land use plans, consistency challenges under Chapter 163, petitions for certiorari, permits and development orders. Our attorneys have extensive experience litigating a variety of environmental claims involving wetlands, protected species, contaminated sites, coastal permitting, consumptive use permitting, sovereign submerged lands, and riparian rights issues. These claims usually involve defending against an enforcement action or defending a permit that has been issued and challenged by a third party. Additionally, we have experience managing and defending against environmental class actions and complex toxic tort matters. We also have extensive experience in litigating restrictive covenants, easements, title issues and entitlements and in prosecuting challenges to property tax assessments and exemptions. We aggressively seek to protect our clients’ property rights, including constitutional rights, takings, inverse condemnation, Bert Harris Act and rights arising from estoppel, assuring that the value of our clients’ property is protected or compensated. Our goal is to utilize the various forums to resolve disputes so our clients can obtain the maximum use of their property.
- ADA & Fair Housing
- Ad Valorem Tax Assessment Challenges & Appeals
- Administrative Enforcement Action
- Administrative Hearings & Appeals (Fla. Sta. §120)
- Bert Harris Act Claims
- New Rule Inordinately Burdens Private Property
- Prohibited Exaction as Condition of Government Approval
- Certiorari Proceedings
- Citizen Suits
- Class Actions
- Code Violations – Fee Mitigation
- Comprehensive Plan Consistency (Fla. Stat. §163)
- Constitutional Issues (Due Process, Equal Protection)
- CDD Litigation
- Declaratory Judgment
- Deed Restrictions
- Development of Regional Impact (DRI) Rights
- Development Order & Zoning Appeals
- Dispute Resolution with Interest Groups & Interested Parties
- Easement Disputes
- Easements by Necessity
- Negative Reciprocal Easements
- Prescriptive Easements
- Eminent Domain
- Environmental Cost Recovery
- Environmental Enforcement Actions
- Environmental Litigation
- Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act Proceedings
- Golf Course Entitlements for Alternative Use
- Greenbelt Exemption (Agricultural Classification) Litigation
- Infrastructure Agreement Disputes
- Indoor Air Quality – Sick Buildings
- Injunctions
- Inverse Condemnation
- Access
- Regulatory Taking
- Views
- Mold Litigation
- Neighborhood & Adjacent Property Owner Disputes
- Permit Challenges
- Property & Groundwater Contamination
- Property Rights
- §1983
- Civil Rights
- Due Process
- Equal Protection
- Estoppel
- Property Tax Litigation
- Public Records Act Violations
- Restrictive Covenants
- Rule Challenges
- Submerged Land
- Ownership/Title
- Riparian Rights
- Sunshine Law Violations
- Takings
- Telecommunications Regulation & Litigation
- Cell Towers
- Title, Survey & Boundary Disputes
- Title Insurance Claims & Disputes
- Toxic Torts
- Vacating Rights-of-Way
- Vested Rights
- Estoppel
- Water Use Litigation
Land Development News Update, Publications:
What's Developing | Fall 2024
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|November 2024|Jeffrey A. Collier, Jacob T. Cremer, Felicia Kitzmiller, Erin J. Tilton
Events:
The Live Local Act: The Legislature's Attempt to Kick-Start Large Scale Affordable Housing Projects
Florida Bar, City, County and Local Government Law Section |November 2024|Nicole Neugebauer MacInnes
In the Media:
Tampa developer plans first-of-its-kind project in Wimauma
Tampa Bay Business Journal|September 2024
Firm Announcements:
Amy McPherson Joins Land Development, Zoning & Environmental Group in Tampa as a Shareholder
September 2024
Land Development News Update, Publications:
What's Developing | Summer 2024
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|August 2024|Reggie L. Bouthillier, Fatou Calixte, Jacob T. Cremer, Susan L. Stephens, Erin J. Tilton, Felicia Kitzmiller
Publications:
Florida Attorney General’s Office Issues Informal Opinion Clarifying Zoning Districts that Qualify for Development under the Live Local Act
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|August 2024|Jacob T. Cremer, Nicole Neugebauer MacInnes, Brian J. McDonough
Firm Announcements:
Shareholder Patrice Boyes Joins Land Development, Zoning & Environmental Group in Tampa
August 2024
Events:
Florida Chamber 38th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School
July 2024