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Recent Blog Posts
The Ties that Bind: Transferring a Family Business to the Next Generation
By Leigh Kellett Fletcher | If you are the founder of a business that employs your family, there will come a time when you (or your younger family members) believe it is time to hand over control to the next generation of the family. Effecting that transfer without straining the bonds of familial affection is […]
Want to be Successful? Tips for Career Success
By Anne Pollack Achieve Career Success in Real Estate We just returned from the 2015 CREW Network Convention in Seattle, Washington. The event was filled with thoughtful sessions, enlightening learning excursions (aka, field trips!), bonding with our own Tampa Bay Chapter members, and lots of networking with other CREW members from around the country. We […]
New Definition for “Waters of the United States” What Developers Need to Know
Land developers seeking to build anywhere near coastal waters, lakes, ponds, streams, waterways or wetlands, be aware that U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“ACOE”) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) are proposing a rule to change the definition of “waters of the United States” that will effectively expand ACOE jurisdiction to require dredge […]
All May Not Be Lost! Revitalization of Expired HOA Declarations and Covenants Conditions and Restrictions
By Leigh Kellett Fletcher | If you live in a community in which the Homeowners’ Association Declaration of Covenants Conditions and Restrictions has expired, but the residents and the Association leadership want to make them effective again, Florida law offers a unique opportunity to reinstate expired HOA Declarations. Chapter 720, Part III, Florida Statutes provides […]
If You Build It, They Don’t Always Come: Alternatives to Empty Commercial/Retail Space on the Ground Floor of Mixed Use Buildings
By Leigh Kellett Fletcher | Many multi-family and mixed use developers completing residential infill projects in urban areas are required by local governments to incorporate retail or other commercial space in the ground floor of their projects. The laudable goals of these types of requirements is to activate street fronts, increase economic activity in the urban […]
Convincing the Neighbors — Tools for Effective Communication about Potentially Controversial Development Projects
By Leigh Kellett Fletcher | Development projects can be controversial for a variety of reasons: where they are proposed to be located; the proposed use; the perceived potential impact of the project on nearby residents; and simple destruct of change, unfamiliar individuals or government. How information about a project is communicated can heavily impact the […]
Port Tampa Bay Channel District Vision Plan Presented to Tampa Downtown Partnership
By Leigh Kellett Fletcher | This morning Port Tampa Bay presented its vision for the 45 acres the Port owns bordering the Channelside district in downtown Tampa to members of the Tampa Downtown Partnership. The land is currently home to the cruise terminals, the Aquarium parking lot and vacant industrial land. Ram Kancharla, Vice […]
Closing the Gaps in the Deal: Utilizing Florida Economic Development Incentives to Facilitate Development
By Leigh Kellett Fletcher | If you are a successful developer or broker of industrial or commercial property, the difference between a closing and a lot of wasted effort can come down to the incentives that can be offered to sweeten the deal for companies seeking to relocate to Florida or to particular counties or […]
2015 Legislative Update and Expectations for 2016
Florida’s legislative session in 2015 was something of a let down for many who expected more land use and environmental bills to be passed. The budget fight ended the session early, and as a result, some good and some bad bills failed to get final approval. In the end, only a handful of land use […]
Tips for Community Associations and Homeowners’ Associations Entering Contracts for Landscaping Maintenance and Repairs to Structures
By Leigh Kellett Fletcher | As communities mature, the landscaping and buildings owned and maintained by nonprofit community associations and homeowners’ associations require professional help to retain their appearance and value. For volunteer board members, contracting for that work can be nerve wracking because the dollars involved can be large and the process confusing. If […]