The Legislative Affairs and Land Use Department (LALU) of the Office of General Counsel is devoted primarily to the service of the Council in its legislative and policy making responsibilities and providing expertise in land use matters including zoning, permitting, comprehensive planning and growth management issues. The Department is also responsible for advising the City’s numerous agencies on various administrative and environmental matters, ordinance code interpretations and applications and assisting Jacksonville’s constituents with public/private partnerships.
Mary Staffopoulos is the Deputy General Counsel for the LALU Department, and Paige Johnston is the Chief Assistant General Counsel. The Department consists of six attorneys.
LALU attorneys staff all bi-weekly City Council committee meetings and provide substantive and procedural guidance to each one. LALU attorneys are responsible for the primary guidance on procedural, public records, sunshine law, and dual office holding issues. They assist the constitutional officers and independent agencies in the preparation and stewardship of their legislative initiatives.
LALU attorneys also take a lead role in the amendment of the Council Rules in an effort to make the legislative process more understandable, transparent and navigable.
LALU attorneys are the primary drafters of the City’s budget bill, appropriating the Consolidated Government budget which totaled over 2 billion dollars. Additionally, significant pieces of legislation including regulations for small cell 5G wireless equipment deployment, regulations to combat human trafficking and to combat public nuisances associated with simulated gambling establishments have been entrusted to the Legislative Affairs Department.
Mary Staffopoulos, Deputy
Susan Grandin, Assistant General Counsel
Terrence Harvey, Assistant General Counsel
Carla Lopera, Assistant General Counsel
Shannon A. MacGillis, Assistant General Counsel