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Overview

David M. Smith serves as the Firm's Director of Development & Zoning. He is an in-house consultant in the Land Use and Environmental Department. David’s background is in permitting, planning, development, growth management and governmental regulation. He came to the Firm in 1990 from the Hillsborough County Government, where he worked for fourteen and a half years in community development, planning, zoning, and permitting. During his employment with Hillsborough County, he was Manager of Administration and Planning for the County’s Community Development Block Grant program, South County Planning Manager and was the County Planning Department representative during all public hearings on the 1989 amendment of the County Comprehensive Plan under the State’s Growth Management Act.

He received his undergraduate degree from Furman University and his MBA from the University of South Florida. David’s role at the Firm is that of in-house consultant regarding planning, zoning, permitting, and governmental regulation. His involvement spans all practice areas of the Firm ranging from litigation to transaction. David has also been involved extensively in comprehensive planning, rezoning and land use, as well as eminent domain takings and property rights issues ranging from road widenings and school sites to height restrictions. His expertise and knowledge of zoning, planning, development, and permitting, and his experience managing planners and engineers, provides the Firm with an in-house capability to conduct real estate due diligence, address code enforcement, zoning and development issues, expedite permitting and to assess takings and property rights issues. David provides in-house capability to not only identify key issues but to effectively deal with land use and permitting issues directly or as needed, assemble and coordinate a team of experts to address issues and process a case through the system to conclusion.  

Representative Experience

  • Obtained a zoning modification on behalf of Piedmont Companies, a developer of Goodwill Industries projects across the country. The 212,000 square foot facility in Hillsborough County will serve a 10-county area, employing over 100 individuals with disabilities and special needs. It is Goodwill Industries-Suncoast, Inc.’s first "build to suit" distribution center in its central Florida territory and will be used as a model for future facilities.
  • Negotiated development agreement and zoned 26 acre Housing Authority property for redevelopment into 1,500 units, 180,000 s.f. office, hotel and 85,000 s.f. of retail.
  • Obtained zoning approval for mixed use residential property in Hillsborough County for 2,200 units.
  • Performed due diligence on Florida properties in association with multi-state portfolio purchase.
  • Obtained zoning for the first residential tower on the west coast of Florida exceeding fifty stories.
  • Coordination of due diligence on numerous hotel and residential project acquisitions and dispositions.
  • Appear before local government and regional planning councils as developer applicant representative seeking residential, commercial and mixed use development approvals.
  • Represent developers and investors in acquisition, zoning and development of commercial, hotel, residential and mixed use projects
  • Represent developers and operators in permitting, code compliance and enforcement matters.
  • Represent land owners and developers in annexations and comprehensive plan amendments.
  • Represent developers in the Development of Regional Impact process.

Professional & Community Involvement

  • American Planning Association (APA)
  • Tampa Bay Builder’s Association (TBBA)

Publications & Presentations

Land Development News Update, Publications: Hillsborough County Studying Comprehensive Plan Updates to Facilitate Affordable Housing
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|July 2021

Land Development News Update, Publications: Update: Tampa Bay Local Governments Continue to Enact Burdensome Moratoria
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update |April 2021

Land Development News Update, Publications: Hillsborough County Moving Quickly in Proposal to Take Away Density from Rural and Agricultural Landowners
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|March 2021

Land Development News Update, Publications: City of Tampa Holds Important Workshop on Changes in Land Use and Development Policies
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|November 2020

COVID News Update, Government & Administrative News Update, Government Affairs News Update, Land Development News Update, Publications: COVID-19 Legal Compass | Timely and Significant COVID-19 Updates
Stearns Weaver MIller News Update|March 2020

Land Development News Update, Publications: Hillsborough County Sets Aggressive Twelve Program to Remake Development Policies - and Increase Fees
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|February 2020

Land Development News Update, Publications: Hillsborough County Continues Discussion on Changes in Land Use and Development Policies to Prepare for Smart and Sustainable Growth
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|January 2020

Land Development News Update, Publications: Major Land Use and Development Policies Discussions Continue in Hillsborough County
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|January 2020

Land Development News Update, Publications: Friday Deadline for Hillsborough County's Final Impact Fee Buyback Solicitation
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|July 2019

Land Development News Update, Publications: What's Developing | Spring 2019
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|April 2019

Land Development News Update, Publications: Why Developers and Landowners Should Engage in the U.S. Census Bureau's Designation of Places and Census Tracts Over the Next Three Months
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|February 2019

Land Development News Update, Publications: Opportunities to Reduce Mobility Fees and Monetize Impact Fee Credits as Hillsborough County's Mobility Fee Takes Effect
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|January 2017

Land Development News Update, Publications: Golf Course Redevelopment Team Update: National and Florida Trends and Recent Local Government Regulatory Responses
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|July 2016

Land Development News Update, Publications: Hillsborough County's Mobility Fee Ordinance Likely to Affect Existing, Ongoing, and Future Projects
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|April 2016

Land Development News Update, Publications: Hillsborough County Releases Draft Mobility Fee Ordinance Ahead of March 24 Commissioner Workshop
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|March 2016

Land Development News Update, Publications: Hillsborough County's Mobility Fee Proposal to Affect Ongoing Projects and Development Agreements
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|December 2015

Land Development News Update, Publications: New Mobility Fees on the Horizon in Hillsborough County
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|November 2015

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