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Past Accomplishments
Everglades
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Won a major victory in the high-profile Federal challenge to the wetland permit issued by the Army Corps of Engineers for the Scripps facility proposed for the Mecca Farms Site.
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Won a major victory in the high-profile challenge to Miami-Dade County's plan to create a commercial airport and development on the former Homestead Air Force Base lands.
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Provided legal advocacy to the environmental community in defense of the Water Preserve Areas in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties, and in support of acquisition of the "8.5 Square Mile Area" in the Everglades.
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Represented the Florida Wildlife Federation and Collier County Audubon Society in a legal challenge to the construction of a gated golf course residential development adjacent to the Corkscrew Preserve, a major habitat for endangered Florida Panther and threatened Black Bear. Secured a significantly improved development plan in a settlement agreement.
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Represented various environmental organizations in advocating for development policies by state and local agencies that would reduce the impacts of development and limerock mining in those parts of western Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties that are important to preserve as part of the Everglades Restoration Plan.
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Represented south Florida's major environmental organizations in an effort to convince local, state and federal agencies to acquire for conservation purposes the "Eight and One-Half Square Mile Area in southwest Miami Dade County.
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Represented environmental organizations in litigation concerning development impacting the Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge and River, the West Palm Beach Water Catchment Area, the Fox Property in western Palm Beach County, the Agricultural Reserve in Palm Beach County; and many other issues central to the sustainability of south Florida.
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Represented citizens seeking to discourage the loosening of development restrictions in Palm Beach County's "Agricultural Reserve" area.
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Brought Florida's first challenge to a mitigation banking permit, securing a settlement that prevented the loss of Everglades - wetlands to be compensated by preserving non- Everglades wetlands.
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Represent numerous environmental groups in an Endangered Species Act lawsuit that seeks to halt water management practices in the Everglades to threaten the recovery of the endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow.
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The Keys
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Successfully advocated the adoption of, and defended in court the legality of Monroe County's (Florida Keys) cutting - edge rate of growth limitations. Won a precedent - setting ruling that the amount of new development proposed by the county and the state can not exceed the carrying capacity of the marine system to accommodate more pollution.
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Successfully opposed a proposed hotel on Big Pine Key (Mariners' Resort) in quasi- judicial hearings in Monroe County.
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Won a legal challenge and reversed Monroe County's approval of a radio tower on Ramrod Key.
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Successfully opposed a proposed development on No Name Key (Galleon Bay) before the Planning Commission and the County Commission in the Florida Keys.
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For years we have played a major role in the adoption and amendment of the comprehensive plans in Monroe County and its various cities.
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We continue to lead the legal fight against the proposed widening of the highway into the Florida Keys.
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Our representation in the "monkey island" cases helped bring an end to the monkey breeding operations that have devastated two offshore islands in the Keys.
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Successfully settled a case on behalf of a Key West Citizens Group that requires the City of Key West to complete an environmental and quality of life study to determine the community impacts on the people and environment of Key West prior to expending existing cruise ship activity in Key West Harbor.
Growth Management
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Won the Pinecrest v. Martin County case in the Fourth District Court of Appeal - a precedent setting case which ordered the removal of buildings that had been constructed in violation of a local government comprehensive plan, thus ensuring a meaningful remedy for citizens who act to enforce local land use controls.
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Won the precedent-setting Poulos case, which guarantee Florida citizens a trial when they sue to enforce their local comprehensive plans. Citizen Enforcement
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Successfully defended Broward County's most unique rural ranch community Sunshine Ranches) against an intrusive commercial plan amendment, securing a ruling by the Governor and Cabinet that the proposal violated Florida's Growth Management Act.
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Represented parties attempting to prevent the conversion of scarce open space on Miami Beach to residential development sites.
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Secured via settlement, important changes to the plan of development for a 500 acre parcel along the Econlockhatchee River in Central Florida.
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Won a precedent - setting growth management case on behalf of Sumter County citizens before the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
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