Melissa M. Gross-Arnold
Areas of Practice
Environmental and Land Use, Governmental and Administrative, Water and Wastewater
- Board Certified by the Florida Bar as an expert in City, County, and Local Government Law
- Member of Special Assets and Sustainability Law Practice Groups
- Represents public and private sector clients in matters relating to:
- consumptive use, storm water and wastewater
- land development, zoning, comprehensive planning, developments of regional impact, vested rights, concurrency and taxation
- Sunshine Law and Public Records Act
- submerged lands issues, docks and marinas
- pre-purchase and pre-foreclosure due diligence, special assets, easements and property access
- sustainability planning and compliance
- education law, including university campus master planning, public and private primary and secondary schools, as well as charter schools
- mediator for the Florida Department of education in disputes between charter schools and school districts
- Experience in both civil and administrative litigation
Professional, Civic and Community Involvement
- North Florida Land Trust, Past-President (2010-2011) www.northfloridalandtrust.org
- Commercial Real Estate Women-Jacksonville Chapter, President (2010) and Speakers’ Bureau www.crewjax.org
- Selected as one of the nation’s top “20 Under 40” women in commercial real estate by Commercial Real Estate Women-National www.crewnetwork.org
- Florida Planning and Zoning Association, Member
- Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and Cornerstone Member www.myjaxchamber.com www.expandinjax.com
- Clay County Chamber of Commerce, Member and appointee to Economic Development Advisory Board (3-yr. term-10/09-09/12) www.claychamber.com www.clayedo.com
- U.S. Green Building Council, Northeast Florida Chapter, Member www.usgbc.org
- Florida Water Environment Association, Member
- The Florida Bar: Environmental and Land Use Law, Administrative Law and City, County and Local Government Law Sections, Member.
- The Jacksonville Bar Association, Member.
- Jacksonville Community Council, Inc., Fundraising Committee, 2004-¬2006; Management Team, “Affecting Change in Jacksonville” Study, 2005; Chair, Business Involvement in Education Study, 2002. www.jcci.org
- Teaches several seminars each year on topics such as Due Diligence, Public Records and Sunshine Law, “Green” Development Incentives and Requirements, Platting and Subdivision and Easements/Access.
- Authored Contract and Conditional Zoning, Florida Bar Environmental and Land Use Law Treatise, 2001.
- Florida Law Review article: Public Trust Doctrine Trims the Butler Act: City of West Palm Beach v. Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, July 1999.
Education
- J.D., with high honors, University of Florida, College of Law, 1999.
- Selected as Member of The Order of the Coif.
- Environmental and Land Use Law Certificate, University of Florida, College of Law, 1999.
- B.S., University of Florida, 1992.