A stunning court opinion in an ongoing appeal of 1,300 Keys housing units may send shockwaves through the affordable housing landscape in the Keys. But the severity of the damage all depends on the mile marker. Handed down on Aug. 3 by Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal (DCA), the opinion looks to reverse 600 affordable workforce housing allocations given to the City of Marathon and Village of Islamorada in 2018, but protects allocations awarded to Key West that same year. Shortly following Hurricane Irma, then-Gov. Rick Scott attempted to remedy an exacerbated workforce housing shortag ..read more

STUART — Environmental policies were the focus of expert testimony Monday during a Zoom hearing that challenges a key aspect of the controversial Costco development. The first day of arguments before a state Division of Administrative Hearings judge, Francine Ffolkes, heard about the South Kanner Highway property where a Costco Wholesale Corp. store, an 18-pump gas station, 378 apartments and retail and restaurant space were approved for development by the City Commission. At question is whether the city assigned the 49-acre property an appropriate future land-use designation: neigh ..read more

In a recent decision (Imhoff v. Walton County) Florida, Florida’s 1st District Court of Appeal upheld critical requirements of Florida’s Community Planning Act! This decision allows local residents to hold their local governments accountable for issuing development orders inconsistent with its entire comprehensive plan under Florida Statute §163.3215, and is a massive step in protecting proper growth management practices in Florida. This decision is now in conflict with a 2017, 2nd District Court of Appeals decision limiting the scope of a consistency challenge analysis under Florida Statute ..read more

As of Friday, June 30th, Robert N. Hartsell, P.A. relocated offices to a the historic First Bank of Pompano building located in the vibrant historically rich, newly redeveloped area in Old Town Pompano Beach at 61 NE 1st Street, Suite C. The land was initially purchased and developed by Pompano pioneer Lewis R. Smoak in the 1920’s, and served as the First Bank of Pompano at a time when Pompano Beach was starkly underdeveloped, and just beginning to populate. As laid out in the book, “Pompano Beach A History of Pioneers and Progress,” written by Dan Hobby in 2010, the 1920 U.S. Census acc ..read more

LOCAL RESIDENT FILES CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINT AGAINST THE CITY OF HOLLYWOOD, CHIEF OF POLICE, AND OFFICER FOR KILLING DOG Hollywood, FL) The federal complaint, filed in the Southern District of Florida on June 13, 2016, seeks damages that could exceed $250,000 for the violation of Wilson Almendarez’s civil rights when a Hollywood Police Officer shot and killed his six-year-old dog, Missy. Mr. Almendarez’s case is similar to the 2005 case of San Jose Charter of Hells Angels v. San Jose, where the City of San Jose, California, settled for $900,000 after a California court found that its police of ..read more

Robert N. Hartsell, P.A. lawyers and alumni took to the streets of Miami’s Bayfront Park last Saturday for the Humane Society of Greater Miami’s Walk for the Animals fund raiser.  Ruby, Apollo and Milo took their owners Sarah Hayter, Esq., Heidi Mehaffey, Esq. and Andrea Ramos, Esq. for a long walk on the beautiful shores of Biscayne Bay.  While Apollo was scoring “big” with the Miami paparazzi, Ruby was busy speeding through the obstacle course in a blazing 10.8 seconds. Everyone had a great time for a great cause.  Thank you to fellow alums Billie Brock, Esq., and Andrea Ramo ..read more

The firm is pleased to announce that Heidi Mehaffey has been hired as a full associate attorney with the firm.  Mrs. Mehaffey graduated from Nova Southeastern Shepard Broad Law Center in May of 2015, magna cum laude, ranked number one in her graduating class and was honored with acceptance into the Order of the Barristers. Mrs. Mehaffey focused her studies on environmental law and animal welfare issues. She was recently published in the Animal Law Committee of the Florida Bar and the Mid-Atlantic Journal on Law and Public Policy for her articles on the pig farming industry and the need f ..read more

The firm is pleased to announce that Heidi Mehaffey has been hired as an intern with the firm.  Mrs. Mehaffey is a third-year law student attending Nova Southeastern University School of Law. She will graduate in May of 2015 with her Juris Doctorate. Mrs. Mehaffey has focused her studies on environmental law and animal welfare issues. At Nova Southeastern University School of Law, Mrs. Mehaffey is at the top of her class, an active member of the Environmental and Land Use Law Society, as well as a board member of the Moot Court Honor Society. She has competed in the National Environ ..read more

Robert N. Hartsell, P.A. is pleased to announce that Ryan Abrams was selected as the firm’s in-house clinical intern. Mr. Abrams is a third year law student attending Nova Southeastern University School of Law and participating in its Environmental and Land Use Law Clinic.  He will graduate this year in May with his Juris Doctorate.  Mr. Abrams has focused his legal studies primarily on Environmental and Land Use law.  He is a native Floridian, born and raised in South Florida.  Throughout his upbringing here, Mr. Abrams has gained a passion for environmental conservation ..read more

NAPLES, Fla. (December 11, 2013) –Conservation groups, including Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Center for Biological Diversity Group and the Sierra Club, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today seeking to halt a 970-acre limerock and sand mine in Collier County. The Hogan Island Quarry would be adjacent to the Camp Keais Strand, a significant wetland flow way that feeds downstream public wetland preserves and is a major wildlife corridor. Building the mine would have significant impacts on the Florida panther, wood stork, crest ..read more