Land Use Planning & Zoning

NFPS takes Land Use Planning & Zoning to the Next Level!

The Land Use Planning & Zoning process can be difficult and tedious! NFPS specializes in local government planning and understands what it takes to get your development approved.

“Getting the necessary permits and zoning approvals for your project can feel like a thorny maze.”

Nothing can kill a project’s momentum faster than an unexpected regulatory hurdle.  At NFPS, we know how frustrating it can be to start developing a property and then learn there is a conflict in land-use planning or zoning for that area.  Let us help you avoid those headaches! We will help you:

  • Bypass bureaucracy bottlenecks;
  • Explore land potential;
  • Resolve zoning obstacles; and
  • Streamline permit process.
What is Land Use Planning & Zoning? What are the major aspects of it in Florida? Land Use Planning & Zoning is the control of development by a local city or county, in essence, it’s growth management. NFPS offers the following services:

  • Long-Range Planning;
  • Comprehensive Planning;
  • Land-Development Planning;
  • Future Land-Use Planning;
  • Zoning;
  • Floodplain Management;
  • Utility Planning;
  • Local Government Planning;
  • Planning Studies & Reports;
  • Due-Diligence Studies; and
  • Local Government Development Applications.
The major aspects of Land Use Planning & Zoning in Florida are four-fold.

  • The first is Comprehensive Planning. Comprehensive Planning is governed by the State of Florida and is a set of Elements containing Goals, Objectives, and Policies to govern growth within a city or county. These Goals, Objectives, and Policies make up a document that is called the local government’s Comprehensive Plan.
  • The second is Land Use, which is a simple and broad designation of land within a Future Land Use Map and is part of a city’s or county’s Comprehensive Plan. Land Use is depicted on a map and establishes a general designation that governs the use of land, such as: Commercial, Residential, and Industrial.
  • The third is Land Development Regulations (LDRs), which establish the rules and regulations upon how land is developed. So, while a Comprehensive Plan establishes Goals, Objectives, and Policies, the LDRs implement the Goals, Objectives, and Policies set out in the Comprehensive Plan in the form of regulations. The LDRs also set out procedures and mechanisms that govern the growth and/or development process.
  • The fourth is Zoning, like Land Use. This is depicted on a map. Zoning districts are specific districts that sets forth what uses are allowable within each district. There may be many different Zoning Districts that are permitted within a single Land Use designation. So while Land Use may be a broad, general designation, Zoning is very specific and establishes what uses are allowed within that district.

Your Permitting Journey, Streamlined

Getting the necessary permits and zoning approvals for your project can feel like a thorny maze. It’s a terrain laden with confusing laws, complex paperwork, and delayed timelines—complications that frustrate even the most patient developers. The far-reaching implications of a single misstep could stall your projects and drain crucial resources.