Topic: Growth Management Law

Bills eliminating state-level reviews of large development projects in more counties and environmental permitting regulations didn't make it out of the legislature but a bill favored by the real estate industry to entice insurers to write more flood insurance policies will go to Gov. Rick Scott's desk. Read more . . .

Two growth management bills are headed to governor while a third is hung up in Senate. Read more ..

The most controversial growth management bill this year, SB 372 dealing with developments of regional impact, appeared to have died Monday when the Senate Rules Committee temporarily passed it during the committee's final scheduled meeting.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is challenging the approval of a development in Lake County within the Green Swamp. "The agency is near death but it's good to know there is still an ounce of breath in the body," said Tom Pelham, a land use attorney who twice served as secretary of the Department of Community Affairs.

SB 372 deals with "developments of regional impact" and was temporarily passed in a Senate committee on Wednesday. The House companion bill has yet to be heard in committee. "I'm starting to hear the echoes of the death rattle," said its sponsor, Rep. Matt Gaetz. Meanwhile, Rep. Jimmy Patronis said his controversial HB 703 won't be heard this week in the final State Affairs Committee meeting.

SB 1464 was temporarily postponed during the last meeting of the Senate Committee on Community Affairs. "That bill in its current form is dead," said Sen. Wilton Simpson, bill sponsor and committee chairman. The House and Senate bills faced opposition from cities, counties and environmental groups even as controversial elements were being taken out.

HB 947 and SB 1070 would have prevented cities from having a say in whether fuel terminals within their city limits can expand. The bills still prohibit cities and counties form declaring them as a nonconforming use and allows them to rebuild after a natural catastrophe to their existing capacity. A Florida League of Cities representative called the amended bills "a fair compromise."

A proposal nearly doubling the number of counties where developments of regional impact are exempted from review by state regulators continues to move while opposition grows. Its sponsor said he will consider whether to strengthen intergovernmental coordination requirements.

Bills moving in the Legislature would undermine a community's effort to regulate fuel terminals. The bills declare terminals a critical component in the distribution of fuel, allow them to expand and would permit local government to pass only regulations governing their appearance.

HB 703 by Rep. Jimmy Patronis targets two Martin County policies adopted last year. "Why should Tallahassee do a one-size-fits-all (solution) for what they were saying in 2011 was best left to local government?" asked Charles Pattison of 1000 Friends of Florida.

Some legislative leaders and pundits say there will be a focus on water in the 2014 legislative session but it looks increasingly like the focus will be on money -- for environmental protection and restoration.

SB 372 would increase from eight to 15 the number of counties where larger developments are exempted from state review as "developments of regional impact." ... Related Research: Feb. 19, 2014 List of additional counties exempted from DRI review under SB 372 and reports on 2009 legislation and on the DRI process.

Lawmakers are pushing bills this year to limit local governments' ability to charge transportation concurrency fees, reduce state reviews of local growth management decisions, require written notice to retain subsurface mineral rights and require Citizens Property Insurance Corp. customers to repair sinkhole damage only through approved contractors.

SB 372 would increase from eight to 15 the number of counties designated as "dense urban land areas" where those developments are excluded from state review as DRIs. Also Tuesday, HB 189 dealing with citizen referendums also passed its first committee stop.