| Biography | Experience Heather Ramos is a Shareholder based in the Orlando office. She specializes in all aspects of state and local government law, such as land-use law, taxation and finance, utility law, constitutional law, administrative law and litigation. She assists clients with issues relating to annexation, land use and zoning changes, real estate acquisitions and sales, real estate financing and legislative and governmental affairs on both a local and state level. Heather's experience involves the representation of private and public entities in the development of commercial, residential and mixed-use projects in all phases of development. She helps landowners obtain all forms of local government approvals, ranging from zoning and comprehensive plan amendments, special exceptions, variances and conditional use permits to the negotiation of development agreements, development orders and annexation agreements. Her past experience involves planned unit developments, subdivision plats, annexation agreements, vested rights, impact fees, utility agreements, concurrency, transportation mitigation, road construction agreements, wetlands mitigation and permitting and many other aspects of land use and real estate development. For the private sector, Heather typically assists clients throughout the entire development process beginning with the site selection, contract negotiation, due diligence and land acquisition and continuing with the procurement of land use approvals and entitlements. For the public sector, Heather is the Town attorney for the Town of Howey-in-the-Hills, the assistant Town attorney for the Town of Windermere, and the assistant City attorney for the City of Haines City. She is the assistant lead counsel for the Orange County Library District and assistant counsel to the Orange County Property Appraiser. She also serves as counsel for the Volusia Growth Management Commission and for the Haines City Code Enforcement Division. She has assisted in the establishment of Community Redevelopment Agencies and other local government financing mechanisms. Background Heather was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Melbourne, Florida. After attending the University of Central Florida and receiving her Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Heather enrolled in Stetson University College of Law with a scholarship. She graduated cum laude and received her Juris Doctor from Stetson in May 2002. Professional · The Florida Bar
- Local Government Law Section
- Environmental and Land Use Section · Orange County Bar
- Environmental and Land Use Committee, Co-Chair, 2004-2005 · Selected as Florida's "Legal Elite" by Florida Trend Magazine in "Up & Comers" category, 2009 · Florida Super Lawyers "Rising Star," 2009, 2011 Civic · Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Board of Directors, 2004-Present · Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, Board Member, Leadership Alumni, 2006-2008 · Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, Vice-Chair Membership, Executive Committee, Leadership Alumni, 2006 · Tiger Bay Club, Membership Committee Member, 2005-2007 · Florida Hospital Cancer Institute, Board Member, 2004-2007 · Leadership Orlando, Graduate, Class 63, 2004 · League of Women Voters, Board Member, 2003-2005 |