by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
For Dylan Reingold, working for the City is more than just a job, it’s the culmination of more than 20 years worth of schooling.
A San Francisco native, Reingold is the newest attorney in the City’s General Counsel’s Office. It’s there that the 31 year old works alongside the City Council and the Planning Department while offering insight into land-use and development practices.
“If I had to put it in a nutshell, I guess you could say my primary responsibility is to assist the City in making sure we develop in a sound and legal manner,” Reingold said. “There is a lot happening in Jacksonville these days so I’ve been able to jump right in. It’s great.”
Reingold’s fascination with the environment and land use began years ago while he was an undergraduate student at George Washington University.
“I took a Marine Science class and was really fascinated by it,” he said. “From there I took more and more courses before I ultimately graduated with degrees in Environmental Science and Biology.”
But Reingold didn’t stop there. After an opportunity to explore artificial reefs came open in central Florida, he packed his bags and eventually enrolled at Florida Tech in Melbourne.
Reingold graduated with a Masters in Marine Biology and Oceanography.
“That was a fantastic experience and I fell in love with Florida while I was there,” he said. “I knew I wanted to make it my home.”
But Reingold wouldn’t make a transition into a 40-hour week for a few more years. Opting for more education, he headed to law school at the University of Florida where he studied land use.
“After I graduated, I took a job with a large firm in downtown Miami,” he said. “It was a great experience, but I knew it wasn’t right for me.”
Reingold said he favored his small town experiences in Gainesville and Melbourne over Miami’s fast-paced metropolis. So when a position with the City came open, he quickly applied and eventually landed it.
“I love this City,” said Reingold, who currently resides in Riverside. “It’s really the best of both worlds. You have a nice downtown and the beaches. There’s a lot happening, but you also have that small town feeling that I was looking for all along.”
Reingold’s been in Jacksonville for less than three months.But thanks to his prominent role with the Planning Commission and in crafting legislation to extend alcohol sales to 4 a.m. downtown, he’s quickly become adjusted.