Carlton Fields Prevails in Challenge to Development of Endangered Species Habitat Near Zoo Miami

Carlton Fields filed a lawsuit on behalf of pro bono clients Bat Conservation International, Tropical Audubon Society and a Miami-Dade County resident against Miami-Dade County for violating a voter-approved referendum that prohibits commercial use and development of environmentally sensitive county-owned land. The proposed development site, adjacent to Zoo Miami, is part of a critical area that supports some of the rarest federally endangered species in the world, including the Florida bonneted bat.

The firm represented the plaintiffs as the lawsuit proceeded through the courts and on appeal, ultimately prevailing when the county unilaterally rescinded the lease at issue. The county has separately sought declaratory relief against the developer.

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