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Miranda F. Fitzgerald

Partner

Practice Areas

• Land Use and Zoning
• Developments Of Regional Impact
• Environmental Law
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Real Estate, Land Use and Property Rights Litigation

Specialty Practices/ Industries

• Developments of Regional Impact, Comprehensive Planning; Vested Rights
• Mediation/Alternative Dispute Resolution: Land Use, Property Rights, Governmental Disputes

Education

• Florida State University College of Law, J.D., 1978 with high honors
• Florida State University, B.A., 1972 with honors
• University of North Carolina, Dental Hygiene Certificate, 1967

Admitted

• The Florida Bar - 1979

Appointments and Elected Positions

• Orange County Board of County Commissioners School Impact Fee Advisory Group
• Orange County School Concurrency Stakeholder Committee
• Orange County School Concurrency Legal Committee

Recognition

• Martindale-Hubbell Rating: AV
• "Florida Legal Elite" 2004-2008 Florida Trend Magazine
• Listed in the Best Lawyers in America 1998-2008
• Listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers 2004-2007
• Listed in the 2006-2007 "Honors Edition" of Madison Who's Who Among Executive and Professionals
• Listed in Legal 500 US
• "Florida's Top Lawyers" Florida Monthly Magazine
• Orlando's Best Lawyers 2006-2008 Orlando Magazine
• Named in Guide to World's Leading Environmental Lawyers
• Featured in article, "Attorneys You Can Trust - Six Legal Legends" Orlando Magazine
• Featured in article, "Orlando's Leading Women - Redefining Power" Orlando Magazine
• Selected for inclusion in 2006-2008 Florida Super Lawyers
• Selected as one of the Top 50 Female Florida Attorneys by Law and Politics 2006-2007
• Named in the 2008/2009 National Association of Professional and Executive Women, NAPEW, registry for "Women of Excellence"

Professional Certification, Memberships and Activities

Professional Associations
American Bar Association
Orange County Bar Association
The Florida Bar
Florida Academy of Professional Mediators
CREW - Commercial Real Estate Women
Urban Land Institute Orlando
Professional Certifications
Circuit Court Mediator certified by Florida Supreme Court, concentrating in Intergovernmental Disputes and Private and Public Disputes Affecting Real Property.

Community Activities

Orange County School Impact Fee Advisory Group, 2005, 2007
Florida Chamber of Commerce Growth Management Task Force
Florida Chamber of Commerce Environmental and Infrastructure Task Force
HealthCare Center for the Homeless, Inc., Secretary, Board of Directors
Florida Planning and Zoning Association
Orange County School Concurrency Stakeholder Committee and Legal Committee

Publications and Lectures

Moderated panel discussion on school concurrency at 2006 and 2007 Florida Chamber of Commerce Growth Management Short Course
Moderated panel discussion on new growth management law at 2005 and 2006 Florida Chamber of Commerce Environmental Permitting Summer School
Moderated panel discussion at 2004 Growth Management Short Course on Florida Hometown Democracy Constitutional Amendment
"School Concurrency - Opportunity for Cooperative Solutions," Orlando Welsh Market Update
"Practical Aspects of Land Use and Concurrency," 2002-2003, Association of Certified Commercial Investment Managers
"Growth Management Law Update," 2003 Environmental Summer School sponsored by Florida Chamber of Commerce
"How to Make DRI's Work for You," 2000-2003, Florida Chamber of Commerce Growth Management Short Course
"School Overcrowding Legislation Targets New Residential Developments," The Fine Print
Real Estate Analysis Guest Lecture for MBA Students at Rollins College
Panel member, "Understanding Real Estate Development - Case Studies by the Masters," Rollins College

Representative Client Experience

• More than 25 years experience representing landowners and developers in obtaining land use and environmental approvals. Experience includes developments of regional impact, comprehensive plan amendments, zoning, planned unit developments, subdivision plats, annexation agreements, vested rights, impact fees, utility agreements, concurrency, transportation mitigation, road construction agreements, wetlands mitigation and permitting, listed species mitigation and permitting, and many other aspects of land use and real estate development.
• Serves as lead counsel in obtaining approvals for many Development of Regional Impact (“DRI”) projects and other significant developments in Central Florida.
• Represents landowners, developers and local governments in land use litigation, including administrative appeals, petitions for writ of certiorari and declaratory judgment actions.
• Serves as mediator in disputes involving annexation, utility service territories, property rights and land use issues.
  

Representative Projects

• Grande Lakes Resort--1,250-acre mixed use project with Ritz-Carlton Hotel and J.W. Marriott Hotel, residential, office and retail uses, Orange County
• North Point DRI -- 157-acre office and industrial development, Lake Mary
• Beltway Commerce Center -- 594-acre retail, office, industrial development, City of Orlando
• Brevard Crossings DRI--271-acre mixed use project with 1.1 million square foot regional mall, City of Cocoa
• Lake Nona DRI--7,000-acre mixed use development with residential, golf course, office, commercial and industrial uses, Orange County
• Flora Ridge DRI--1,134-acre mixed use development with residential, office and commercial uses, Osceola County
• MetroWest (Project Debra DRI)--2,000-acre mixed use project with residential, golf course, office, and commercial uses, City of Orlando
• Southchase DRI--3,200-acre mixed use development with residential, office, commercial and industrial uses, Orange County
• Heathrow DRI--1,500-acre mixed use community with residential, golf course, office and retail uses, Seminole County
• Heathrow International Business Center DRI--360-acre office, commercial and hotel development, Seminole County and City of Lake Mary
• Primera DRI--188-acre office, commercial and hotel development, City of Lake Mary
• Lake Mary Shopping Centre DRI--an Albertsons anchored shopping center, City of Lake Mary
• Sierra Land DRI--site of Caribe Royale Resort Hotel and convention center, Orange County
• Lake Bryan DRI--162-acre hotel and commercial development in the tourist corridor, Orange County
• The Summit DRI--192-acre mixed use with project and RDV Sportsplex, City of Maitland
• Airport Lakes DRI--100-acre office, commercial, hotel project, City of Orlando
• Maitland Concourse DRI--121-acre office project, City of Maitland
• Center of Commerce at Orlando DRI--258-acre industrial and office project, City of Orlando
• Remington DRI--734-acre residential and retail project, Osceola County
• Lake Forest DRI--538-acre residential and neighborhood retail development, Seminole County
• Twin Rivers DRI--1,500-acre residential and golf community, City of Oviedo
• Osceola Trace DRI--mixed use tourist commercial project, Osceola County
• Plantation Bay DRI--residential and golf community, Volusia and Flagler Counties
• Magnolia Creek DRI (now known as “Reunion Resort & Club”)--2,226-acre mixed use resort, residential and recreational community, Osceola County
• Lake Howell Shopping Center, Seminole County
• Airport Distribution Center--222-acre industrial park, City of Orlando