The Mellgren Planning Group provides attorneys throughout Florida with land use planning, land development regulations and analysis, expert witness services, public meetings facilitation, and presentations that clearly communicate complex land use issues and development projects.

Since 1998, The Mellgren Planning Group has served as a professional resource to law firms with clients that need assistance navigating through land use change processes. Our understanding of often complex and nuanced political, social and economic landscapes of Florida local governments has enabled many clients to cost-effectively complete their projects.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

All of our senior planners hold master’s degrees in urban planning, and are credentialed by the American Institute of Certified Planners. Many members of The Mellgren Planning Group started their professional careers as local government planners. We understand the challenges that can frame the planning and zoning process, and address difficult issues objectively and provide creative and implementable solutions.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

The Mellgren Planning Group team of land use planning and zoning experts serve your needs either under the umbrella of your firm, or by working directly for your client, but as part of your team. Our role is to assist you and facilitate a successful outcome for your client. Our expertise in neighborhood master and small-area development plan preparation, as well as redevelopment and housing planning, has helped residential and commercial developers overcome obstacles or achieve an equitable compromise with local governments and citizen groups.

Our in-depth experience writing comprehensive plans and insightful interpretation of land development regulations for particular development processes has helped clients formulate and successfully implement development and redevelopment strategies.

And, our long-term familiarity with local governments, planning councils and state agencies enable us to facilitate and thoroughly explain proposed developments on behalf of our clients to elected officials and government planning staffs.

LITIGATION SUPPORT

As land planning and zoning experts, we assist in the courtroom by providing law firms with critical analysis and serving as expert witnesses. Michele Mellgren, AICP, the firm’s principal, has testified as an expert witness on behalf of clients in Florida circuit court. Jeffrey Katims, AICP, is a leading expert in zoning code writing and analysis, and is one of the few planners in Florida who writes form-based code. Our other planning associates and professional staff are experts in land use planning, housing, GIS and mapping.

COLLATERAL SUPPORT

The Mellgren Planning Group team’s organizational, technical and graphics expertise can assist your firm with public meeting noticing, preparation and exhibits. We also provide trial support, including document organization, trial graphics, and animated and computer-driven presentations.

LAND USE ATTORNEY SERVICES

• Land Use Plan Amendments and Rezonings
• Technical Research
• Zoning Regulations
• Economic and Other Impact Analyses
• Public Outreach and Consensus Building
• GIS and Mapping
• Site Capacity Studies
• Expert Witness Testimony
• Trial Preparation Services
• Public Meeting Preparation Services
• Graphic Design and Animation