PRACTICE AREAS
Mr. Whitehouse’s expert practice concentrates on Zoning Variance Special Use and land use law.
- Board Certified Expert in City, County and Local Government Law.
- City of St. Augustine and St. Johns County Approvals and Permitting.
- No other attorney in St. Johns County has more experience representing clients before the City of St. Augustine.
A Former City of St. Augustine Attorney
Having been an Assistant City Attorney at the Historic City of St. Augustine, Mr. Whitehouse uniquely understands the laws, ordinances, regulations, and processes that are applied to Zoning Variance Special Use and development in St. Augustine’s oldest City. He has routinely appeared before the City’s boards and has obtained approval for PUD’s, land use amendments, hotels, marinas, dry stack storage, restaurants, condominium projects, demolition permits, and related development approvals.
Notably, Mr. Whitehouse has negotiated and resolved controversial and high-profile development projects, including a national home giveaway build that needed last minute land use approvals.
- City Commission
- Planning and Zoning Board (PZB)
- Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB)
- Code Enforcement Board (CEB)
A Former St. Johns County Attorney
Being a Board Certified Expert and former Deputy County Attorney, Mr. Whitehouse has extensive experience with major Zoning Variance Special Use development, building, land use, comprehensive plan amendment approvals and permitting.
Mr. Whitehouse is also former City Attorney for the City of St. Augustine Beach.
Finally, Mr. Whitehouse’s practice also includes general civil litigation, property and real estate litigation, and development disputes at Administrative Hearings, Civil Trials and Appeals. State and Federal Courts.
EDUCATION
- College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA) – B.A. 1993
- Nova Southeastern University School of Law (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) – J.D. 1996
Experience
- Former Deputy County Attorney and Senior Assistant County Attorney for St. Johns County, Florida
- Former Assistant City Attorney for the City of St. Augustine, Florida
- Former Special Assistant State Attorney in St. Johns County, Florida
- Served as the Chief Land Use Attorney for St. Johns County from 2007 through 2013
- Has worked with landowners and developers in negotiating Comprehensive Plan Amendments, Rezonings, Planned Unit Developments, Development & Concurrency Agreements and Impact Fee Credit Agreements.
- Has reviewed and ensured legal compliance for numerous plats and worked on plat and street vacations.
- Extensive experience with County and City Codes and compliance, vestings and variances thereto.
- Extensive trial experience, including many jury and non-jury trials, as well as mediation and arbitration.
- Has drafted and reviewed hundreds of contracts and various agreements in all subject matter areas.
- Representation of both plaintiffs and defendants in disputes and litigation involving all types of claims.
Professional Activities
- St. Johns County Bar Association
- Cathedral Parish School – School Board Member
- The Salvation Army of St. Johns County – Advisory Council Member
- St. Gerard Campus (Licensed High School and Maternity Home) – Advisory Board Member
- Ancient City Soccer – Board of Directors Member
- Florida Association of Police Attorneys (FAPA)
- Environmental and Land Use Law Section of the Florida Bar
- Florida Municipal Attorneys’ Association (FMAA)
- Florida Association of County Attorneys (FACA)
Bar Memberships
- The Florida Bar
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida