LAW OFFICE OF ROBERT K. LINCOLN, P.A.

Land Use and Local Government Law and Litigation

The Law Office of Robert K. Lincoln, P.A.  provides legal services to private and public entities involved in complex land use disputes.  Hiring an attorney is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements.  Before you decide, ask and I will provide free information about my experience and qualifications. 

*Attorneys Robert Lincoln and Stacy Dillard-Spahn also serve clients as Of Counsel to Shubin Law Group, P.A., with offices in Miami, West Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, specializing in land use, development, and related litigation. Law Office of Robert K. Lincoln, P.A. is an independent law firm from Shubin Law Group, P.A.

Psychotically Bad Bills Proliferate

Ok, I'm not weighing in yet on the DRI bill(s), or the nacent growth management bills, which mostly seem to be more of the same stuff.

But here are two seemingly innocuous bills, flying under the radar THAT ARE PURE AND SIMPLY EVIL.

The first is the committee substitute for Senate Bill 1112. Here's the link. It started out as an innoccuous bill guaranteeing that when local governments deny development orders, they cite a basis in the local code for it. Someone hijacked it and added a due process violating, evil and wrong provision that says that in quasi-judicial hearings the local government need not provide findings of fact and conclusions of law.

It's a sick statutory embodiment of the Fla. Supreme Court's misguided assault on due process in Snyder, and would overturn over 50 years of due process jurisdprudence that requires quasi-judicial bodies to explain their decisions.


The second really bad bill is SB 1066. Here's the link. It's nothing less than a NIMBY heaven bill, that seems to give adjoining jurisdictions (within 3 miles of a proposed development) a veto power over any land use they don't like. It also requires notice FOR A 3 MILE RADIUS of a potentially objectionable site. THIS BILL IS JUST STUPID. IT WILL ONLY SERVE TO DRIVE ALL INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT INTO RURAL COUNTIES, CREATING SPRAWL, MORE POLLUTION IN UNDEVELOPED AREAS AND GENERALLY BAD PLANNING. IT'S ALSO SO VAGUE THAT ALL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT WILL BE FORCED TO COMPLY.

WRITE YOUR LEGISLATOR TODAY AND ASK THAT THIS STUPID SHORTSIGHTED AND FOOLISH BILL BE KILLED IMMEDIATELY.

It's short, so here's the guts of the text:
When a commercial, manufacturing, or industrial business that has the potential to emit harmful or noxious odors or pollutants or to otherwise create unhealthful or unpleasant living conditions in the surrounding community proposes to locate within 3 miles of a residential area, each county or municipality having jurisdiction over the proposed location must conduct a public hearing on the potential effect of the proposed commercial, manufacturing, or industrial business on the health of persons who live or work in the surrounding community. A county and municipality that share jurisdiction may conduct separate hearings or jointly conduct a single hearing. At least 15 days before the hearing, the county or municipality conducting thehearing shall mail a notice of the hearing to each local media outlet and to each person who owns property, owns or operates a business, or resides within a 3-mile radius of the proposed business, and shall publish a notice of the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation serving the area within that radius. As used in this section the term "residential area" means the area designated for residential use under the future land use map of the comprehensive plan or the land use development regulations adopted by the county or municipalitypursuant to chapter 163.

1517 State Street, Suite 203, Sarasota, FL 34236     Phone (941) 681-8700

Hiring an attorney is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask and I will send you free written information about my qualifications and experience. Additionally, the comments, statements and articles contained herein are general in nature and should not be relied upon as a basis for any legal opinion, action or conclusion on the part of the reader with respect to any particular set of facts or circumstances, or to establish an attorney-client relationship between us.