Land Entitlement Services
Land Entitlement and Discretionary Hearing Services in South Florida
Some projects need more than a permit. They need the city to approve a use, a variance, or a density that the base code does not grant by right, and that approval is won or lost in the entitlement process. At Concord Crest Real Estate, we prepare the case and present it to the authorities who decide, so your project gets the development allowances it needs to move forward.
We have carried more than 1,000 projects through planning commissions, review boards, and city councils. When your project depends on a discretionary approval, you want a team that knows how to build the case and tell the right story to the people in the room.
What Land Entitlements Are
Entitlements are the approvals that give a property the legal right to be developed in a certain way. When your plans go beyond what the zoning permits by right, you need a discretionary approval, and that is entitlement work.
In practical terms, entitlements determine:
- What can be built on a site beyond the base zoning
- The density, height, or intensity a project is allowed
- Whether a use that is not permitted by right can be approved
- The conditions a city attaches to that approval
Securing entitlements is what turns a constrained parcel into a buildable project. It is the difference between what the code allows today and what your project actually needs.
Discretionary Approvals We Secure
We prepare applications and case findings for the full range of discretionary approvals a project may require.
Our entitlement work includes:
- Variances from setback, height, FAR, or parking standards
- Conditional use and special exception approvals
- Rezoning and land use amendments
- Site plan and design approvals
- Other allowances that require a discretionary decision
Every one of these begins with knowing whether a project qualifies, which is why complex sites often start with property development due diligence to define the path before we file.
Presenting to Hearing Authorities
A strong entitlement case is not just filed, it is presented, and the presentation often decides the outcome. We prepare expert presentations and advocate for your project before the bodies that grant approvals.
We appear before:
- Planning commissions
- Architectural and design review boards
- City councils and elected officials
- Zoning and administrative hearing authorities
We know what each body weighs, how to frame the findings that support your request, and how to answer the concerns that come up in the room. Where a project benefits from broader advocacy, we bring in land use government relations.
Who We Help With Entitlements
Entitlement work carries real risk and real reward, and we support the teams who take it on:
- Developers pursuing approvals that make a project pencil
- Real estate investors underwriting a site that needs a use or density change
- Architects and engineers whose design depends on a discretionary approval
- Property owners seeking a variance or change of use
- Project teams facing a public hearing and needing an expert voice
If your project needs the city to say yes to something beyond the base code, this is built for you.
How the Entitlement Process Works
Entitlements take strategy and sequence. We manage both, from first review to final decision.
- Feasibility review. We confirm what your project needs and whether it can be approved.
- Application and findings. We prepare the applications and the case findings that support your request.
- Agency coordination. We work with planning staff to refine the case and address concerns early.
- Hearing preparation. We build the presentation and the materials for the decision-making body.
- Expert presentation. We advocate for your project at the hearing and pursue the approval.
Why Concord Crest for Entitlements
Entitlements reward experience and relationships, and Concord Crest brings both. We are developers who have secured discretionary approvals across more than 1,000 projects.
Here is why clients trust us with entitlements:
- Deep experience across variances, conditional use, and rezoning
- Long-standing, transparent relationships with city and state officials
- We know how each hearing body reads a case and what wins the vote
- We prepare findings and presentations that hold up under scrutiny
- We carry approved projects straight into permit expediting
When your project depends on a discretionary yes, you want the team that has earned those approvals many times before.
Entitlement FAQs
What are land entitlements in real estate?
Land entitlements are the legal approvals that let you develop a property in a specific way, beyond what the base zoning allows by right. They can include variances, conditional use, rezoning, and site plan approvals, and they are granted through a discretionary process.
How is an entitlement different from a permit?
An entitlement grants the right to develop in a certain way, such as a higher density or a new use. A building permit authorizes construction of an approved design. Entitlements usually come first, and a project may need both.
What is a variance?
A variance is an approval to deviate from a specific zoning standard, such as a setback or height limit, when strict application would create a hardship. We prepare the findings that justify the request and present it to the hearing authority.
How long does the entitlement process take?
It varies with the approval type, the jurisdiction, and the level of public review. Rezonings and major approvals take longer than a single variance. We map a realistic timeline at the start so you can plan around it.
Do you present at public hearings?
Yes. We prepare the case findings and deliver expert presentations to planning commissions, review boards, and city councils, advocating for your project through to a decision.