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Land Use / Local Government

Land Use

Among the most essential elements in obtaining a successful outcome in any land use matter are strategy and relationships.  Coleman Yovanovich Koester has the knowledge and experience to guide clients in those very areas.  For more than a decade, CYK has played a key role in many of the major land use decisions in Southwest Florida.

Based upon our extensive experience, we can counsel clients on the creation of individualized strategies to accomplish their land use goals.

Our firm draws upon strong working relationships with decision makers and their staff at the local and regional levels to influence the nature and content of adopted land use plans, orders, regulations and ordinances.

We have served instrumentally in virtually all phases of city and county planning and zoning processes including: re-zonings, comprehensive plan amendments, the adoption of land development regulations, and the procurement of government approvals.

Areas of Governmental Approval expertise include:

  • Planned Unit Developments/ Planned Developments
  • Subdivision Master Plans
  • Site Development Plans
  • Development of Regional Impact Development Orders
  • Zoning Changes
  • Development Orders
  • Annexation
  • Conditional and Provisional Use Approvals
  • Variances
  • Special Exceptions
  • Boat Dock Extensions
  • Appeals of Quasi-Judicial Decisions

Additionally, our attorneys are highly skilled with state permitting processes, including permitting by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the Florida Division of Land Sales, the Regional Planning Councils, the South Florida Water Management District, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and the Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission.

Local Government

The experience of our attorneys in the land use arena allowed for a seamless transition into local government law and service as general counsel to municipalities, special districts and other regional governmental bodies.  Our attorneys work closely with elected and appointed boards and officials to ensure that each government represented effectively meets the legal responsibilities and mandates of local, state and federal law.  Guidance to these boards and officials includes providing a legal framework for decision making, thus enabling them to successfully meet their responsibilities and mandated obligations.  A large part of our firm’s practice in this area includes establishing and counseling community development districts, which are independent special districts formed pursuant to Chapter 190, Florida Statutes.  These districts are either developer or resident controlled, and the actions of these districts affect numerous business owners and homeowners in Florida.  Additionally, our representation of governments also includes delivering legal services to regional workforce development boards, school readiness coalitions and other similarly created public bodies whose actions affect our community.

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