Overview
Nicole is a fantastic associate to watch. She is very bright and has a great career ahead of her as a top land use attorney.
- Chambers USA 2023
Nicole counsels clients on a wide-range of complex land use, permitting and entitlement issues. She has considerable experience representing developers and property owners before local, regional, and state agencies, courts and elected bodies on a wide range of complex land use permitting and entitlement issues, including comprehensive plans and amendments, rezonings, variances, development agreements, Development of Regional Impact (DRI) review and rescission, and other related aspects of securing development authorizations. Nicole also represents clients in circuit court and appellate litigation on a variety of land development matters related to obtaining, challenging, and defending development approvals.
Nicole has particular knowledge regarding all aspects of Florida’s Senate Bill 102: “Live Local Act,” which provides developers with land use and tax incentives to construct affordable and workforce housing throughout the State of Florida.
Nicole is recognized as the only “Associate to Watch” in Zoning/Land Use: North & Central Florida by Chambers USA, the most prestigious independent legal ranking.
Areas of Concentration:
Land Development
- Florida’s Senate Bill 102 - Live Local Act
- Local government permitting – comprehensive plan amendments, rezonings, variances, special exceptions, code enforcement, permitting, development order applications and presentations
- Development incentives – Missing Middle ad valorem tax abatement, statutory and local density bonuses, graywater density bonuses
- Growth management, land use and zoning law – permitting, compliance, enforcement and litigation
- Concurrency for schools, transportation, and infrastructure
- Development agreements – between private parties and with public, government entities
- Developments of Regional Impact (DRI)
- Land development, short and long-term strategic planning and asset positioning
- Extension of local and state development approvals due to natural emergencies
Land Use & Property Rights Litigation
- Challenges to development order denials
- Third party appeals of development order approvals
- Code enforcement
- Property rights and civil rights challenges to local government actions
- Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution actions
- Challenges of agricultural tax classification (greenbelting) denials
During law school, Nicole served as a law clerk in the Firm’s Tampa office. Prior to law school, she worked for a Fortune 500 company in the Real Estate Asset Management department, where she reviewed and summarized title, declarations of covenants, conditions, and restrictions, and easements for company-owned shopping centers. Nicole also worked for the same company in its retail operations throughout high school and college.
Representative Experience
- Land use and environmental counsel for The Related Urban, Related Group’s affordable housing arm and one of the largest affordable housing developers, for two of the largest redevelopment projects in Tampa today, West River and Rome Yard. Working with the City on comprehensive plan amendments, rezonings, platting, permitting, development agreements, and maintenance agreement issues.
- Assists client with disputes with local government, state agencies, and several citizens regarding one of the largest projects in Northern Pasco County land use and environmental permitting approvals.
- Assists client with due diligence review of land use entitlements and analysis of real estate implications for warehouse and distribution facility sites across Florida.
- Successfully defended third party challenge to a variance approval in the City of St. Petersburg.
- Successfully overturned a local government decision denying the grandfathering of an intensive commercial use, paving the way to achieve a favorable rezoning of the property.
- Negotiated hold harmless and development agreements for complicated mixed use project in the City of St. Petersburg.
Professional & Community Involvement
- Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Tampa Bay, 2021-Present
- Economic Summit Committee, 2023-Present
- Membership Committee, 2021-2023
- Junior League of Tampa, 2020-Present
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- Gasparilla Committee, 2023-Present
- Public Affairs Committee, 2023-Present
Recognition
- Chambers USA, Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (North & Central Florida), Associate to Watch, 2023
Publications & Presentations
Publications:
Legislative Tax Package includes Live Local Property Tax Exemption Opt-out Provisions for Taxing Authorities
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|April 2024
Events:
A Live Local Act Panel Discussion
CREW Tampa Bay|April 2024
Events:
WEBINAR: SB 328 - The 2024 Live Local Act
Stearns Weaver Miller Webinar|March 2024
Publications:
Florida Senate and House of Representatives Pass Senate Bill 328 Amending the 2023 Live Local Act
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|March 2024
Affordable Housing News Update, Government Affairs News Update, Land Development News Update, Publications:
Rotunda Report Week 6 | February 12-16, 2024
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|February 2024
Events:
Navigating Affordable Housing Law
Florida Housing Coalition|February 2024
Publications:
Live Local Act Bill Proposes Significant Changes to Florida’s Landmark 2023 Affordable and Workforce Housing Legislation
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|January 2024
Affordable Housing News Update, Land Development News Update, Publications:
Florida Housing Finance Corporation Releases New Frequently Asked Questions for the Missing Middle Ad Valorem Tax Certification Program
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|December 2023
Newsroom
In the Media:
600 apartments in suburban Tampa become first Hillsborough project to move forward under Live Local Act
Tampa Bay Business Journal|October 2023
Firm Announcements:
29 Stearns Weaver Miller Lawyers in 11 Practice Areas Ranked In Chambers USA 2023
June 2023
In the Media:
CREW Tampa Bay Spotlight - Stearns Weaver Miller
CREW Tampa Bay|January 2023