Land Use Land Use

Every apartment building, parking garage and high-rise office building was once just a simple patch of dirt. In our modern world, the transition from one to the other is an extraordinarily complex process that begins long before the first shovelful of dirt is turned over.

Will the building comply with comprehensive and land development codes? Will it conform to zoning and environmental laws? What about drainage and access, billboard regulations, noise level limitations, architectural review and preservation, alcoholic beverage regulations and traffic plans?

Who understands all this, and can guide the project through the Byzantine maze of rules, laws, codes and guidelines?

We can.

Mark Bentley, P.A., is the leading Tampa Bay land use law firm. It’s clients retain the law firm to develop strategies for their projects. Mark Bentley, P.A. helps clients determine what is possible and feasible. It turns those strategies into a plan, and then executes that plan. If waivers or variances become necessary, Mark Bentley, P.A. pursues them.

The firm’s land use lawyers have substantial experience in obtaining approvals from local and state governments for landowners, homebuilders, commercial developers, including bar and restaurant owners. Also, the firm represents local governments in eminent domain and land use matters.

Mark Bentley is a former city planning director and has been a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) since 1989. He is certified by the Florida Bar as an expert in city, county, and local government law. Mark is considered one of the leading land use authorities in the state and in Tampa Bay, having been recognized by Florida Trend Magazine as a Legal Elite, as well as selected by Best Lawyers, Top Tampa Lawyers, and Super Lawyers.

The firm, its land use attorneys and eminent domain attorneys are experienced in representing property and business owners in administrative proceedings before federal, state, and local agencies, involving wetland permitting, access management and billboard matters. The firm also handles land use litigation, including appeals to administrative agencies, circuit and appellate courts.

Over the last few years, the law firm has been recognized by U.S News as one of the best law firms in the U.S.

The firm has also influenced the creation of many rules and regulations by working with governmental officials and legislatures to create laws that reflect realistic, reasonable solutions for our clients and the public. These include many changes to zoning codes, comprehensive plans and noise ordinances.

Our areas of land use law expertise include:

We service areas within Tampa Bay Area including: St. Petersburg, Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, Citrus, Pinellas, Hernando, Sumter, Manatee-Sarasota, Florida’s Central and West Coast Counties. To find out more, get in touch by visiting our contact page and filling out the form or call us at (813) 223-5050.