Land Use & Local Government

The members of Pavese Law Firm’s Land Use and Local Government Law practice area have built a distinctive reputation for their representation of developers and builders that range from private individuals and small private companies up to the large publicly traded companies. For decades, we have been assisting our clients in Southwest and Central Florida to negotiate the maze of regulations to help them secure and retain entitlements for their lands.

Property owners invest substantial sums with the expectation of obtaining a reasonable use of their property and a return on their investment. An ever-changing regulatory environment can significantly impact these expectations. The lawyers in the Land Use and Local Government practice area represent owners in all aspects of the comprehensive planning, zoning and development order process to help bring our clients’ plans to fruition. Drawing upon combined experience of over 75 years in this field, the Pavese Law Firm Land Use team helps our clients achieve their expectations. We have been critical participants in many of the most influential and high quality developments that have helped shape communities in Southwest and Central Florida, including more than 35 Developments of Regional Impact (DRI) such as Bonita Bay, Miromar Lakes, Metro Park, University Park FQD, The Brooks, Omni Interstate Park, Gulf Harbour, Gulf Coast Town Center, Riverwood, and Murdock Center.

Not every project rises to the level of a DRI or a rezoning. Another important aspect of our Local Government representation includes defense of code enforcement prosecutions, establishment of MSBU’s, filing of bid protests and the representation of clients before hearing examiners, planning commissions and boards of adjustment on a myriad of matters including plat approvals, road and plat vacations, local development orders, variances and conditional uses. Our attorneys have served as Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act Special Magistrates.

The same experience that goes into obtaining development entitlements also serves to advise clients who find themselves foreclosing or reacquiring properties in various stages of entitlement due to an economic downturn. A review of the present status of entitlements by members of our Land Use and Local Government team may identify pitfalls and help lenders or private purchasers avoid the unintended consequences of taking over properties with new, unexpected obligations associated with them. Finally, in the always evolving regulatory arena, review of pending land use and development legislation and representation of clients affected by those proposed changes is one more aspect of the experienced advocacy offered by our Land Use and Local Government practice area attorneys.