Kenneth B. Metcalf, AICP

Kenneth Metcalf is a certified land planner with over 40 years of professional planning experience in the public and private sector, including 16 years with the Florida Department of Community Affairs (FDCA) and ten years at the Tallahassee office of an international law firm prior to joining Stearns Weaver Miller in 2014.

During his tenure with FDCA, he formulated growth management strategies and administered Florida’s growth management programs, including Ch. 163 (comprehensive planning and land development regulations) and Ch. 380 (Developments of Regional Impact, Areas of Critical State Concern and Federal Consistency). He was actively involved in implementing all facets of administrative rulemaking and served as an expert witness on rule challenges on behalf of FDCA and the Administration Commission. With several years of previous experience as a local government/MPO transportation planner, Ken also served as the Department’s Transportation Coordinator, focusing on land use/transportation strategies, transportation concurrency and multimodal planning.  He was instrumental in developing the US-1 capacity methodology and hurricane evacuation models for the Florida Keys as well as the permit allocation system based on carrying capacity and hurricane evacuation clearance time. He also served on numerous inter-agency committees on behalf of FDCA, ranging from work with the Miami Downtown Development Authority on redevelopment strategies for Bayfront Park and Miami Heat arena to the Everglades Restoration Working Group as well as various committees in the Florida Keys involving transportation, developing the KEYWEP model for wetland protection and NOAA National Marine Sanctuary committee focused on coral reef protection. He also served as a liaison to FFWCC regarding manatee protection and co-authored the Marina Siting Guidebook.    

Drawing on his governmental experience at the state, regional and local level and over 20 years of experience in the private sector, Ken now navigates clients through Florida’s complex growth management and permitting arena, providing public and private sector clients with innovative solutions, planning strategies and development across a broad range of planning issues. His diverse practice ranges from work on large-scale New Town developments, sector plans and over 40 DRIs to complex infill and redevelopment projects as well extensive experience entitling resort projects throughout Florida.  His services include planning and policy analysis related to all aspects of land use and development, as well as providing technical services, such as transportation planning.  Ken routinely negotiates with local, regional and state agencies on behalf of public and private sector clients.

Ken has served as an expert witness in more than 40 administrative and circuit court proceedings involving a variety of planning subjects, including urban and regional planning, comprehensive planning, Florida’s growth management requirements, Developments of Regional Impact, Area of Critical State Concern Programs, Monroe County and Key West Comprehensive Plans and Land Development Regulations, aerial photograph interpretation, assessment of development impacts and rulemaking. Ken also provides expert witness services for eminent domain proceedings.

He has served as an adjunct instructor at Florida State University teaching graduate courses in growth management and infrastructure planning.

Areas of Concentration

• Development Entitlement/Feasibility Analysis
  • Comprehensive Plan Amendments/Rezonings/Planned Unit Developments
  • Site Plans/Special Exceptions/Special Use Permits/Variances/Permits
  • Due Diligence/Industrial Siting
  • Supporting Analysis/Compliance Requirements
    • Land Use Compatibility
    • Population Projections
    • Land Use Need/Urban Sprawl
    • Public Facility/Transportation Concurrency
    • Transportation/Parking Studies
    • Multi-modal Level of Service
    • Historic Preservation
    • Live Local Act/Affordable Housing Analysis
  • Coastal Planning/Resiliency
    • Floodplain Management/Compliance
    • Sea Level Rise Modeling/Analysis
    • Hurricane Evacuation Clearance Time/Shelter Impact Analysis
  • Environmental Planning and Permitting
    • Listed Species
    • Army Corps Alternatives Analysis
    • Coastal Construction Control Lines
    • Marina/Dock Permitting
    • Sovereign Submerged Lands
    • Mining
  • Ch. 163 Development Agreements
  • Proportionate Share/Impact Fee/Mobility Fee Agreements
  • Development Order/Permit Extensions (s.253.363, F.S.)
• Developments of Regional Impact (DRI)
  • DRI Amendments
  • DRI Biennial Reports/Monitoring
  • Compliance Disputes/Agreements
  • DRI Exit Options/Alternatives
  • Vested DRIs (Binding Letter Modifications)
• Areas of Critical State Concern (ACSC)
  • Chapter 380/Florida Keys Administrative Rules
  • Florida Keys Permit Allocation/Rate of Growth Program
  • Compliance Disputes/Agreements
• Greenfield/Largs-Scale Planning
  • New Towns
  • Sector Plans
  • Special Area Plans
  • Rural Land Stewardship
• Agricultural Exemptions
  • Agricultural Enclaves
  • Agritourism
  • Agricultural Statutory Exemptions
• Urban Redevelopment
  • CRAs
  • Form-Based Codes
  • Traditional Neighborhood Developments/Urban Villages
  • Neighborhood Master Plans/Corridor Plans
• Industrial Development
  • Due Diligence/Siting
  • Warehouse/Distribution
  • Mining
• Resort/Entertainment Projects
• Age Restricted Developments
• Special Districts
  • Airport Master Plans/Noise Zones
  • Military Base Compatibility/AICUZ
  • Port Master Plans