Oppose Building Permit Amendment to Senate and House Land Use Bills
Overview:
CS/SB 1604 (Ingoglia) and CS/CS/HB 439 (McClain) are bills relating to Land Use Development Regulations.

CS/SB 1604 will be considered by the Senate Rules Committee tomorrow, April 19 at 8:30 a.m.

CS/CS/HB 439 will be considered by the House State Affairs Committee tomorrow, April 19 at 8:00 a.m.

Two amendments have been filed to CS/SB 1604. The first is language addressing concerns with Reedy Creek Improvement Districts actions approving a development order for Walt Disney World.
 
Because of this amendment, CS/SB 1604 has become a vehicle for other amendments pertaining to growth management.

The second amendment would require each local building official to establish a program to expedite the process for issuing building permits for a residential community that meets the requirements of the Florida Building Code by August 15, 2023. Additionally the amendment would allow for at least 50 percent of residential homes to be constructed if the temporary/preliminary plat is approved, civil engineering plans are approved, and if a performance bond is posted.

We anticipate that similar amendments will be filed to the House companion, CS/CS/HB 439.
Action Needed:
Please contact members of the Senate Rules Committee (click here for contact information) and ask them to Oppose Amendment (Barcode 493202) to CS/SB 1604.

Please contact members of the House State Affairs Committee (click here for contact information) and ask them to Oppose any similar amendment to CS/CS/HB 439.
Message to Legislators:
Vote NO on the amendment for the following reasons:

The amendment requires cities to create an expedited building permit program by August 15, 2023. Many cities are struggling to fill building official positions or use private providers. The development this new program under current labor constraints is not workable within this timeframe.
 
It is risky to use only temporary plat or preliminary plat approval as the basis for issuing building permits. By definition, temporary and preliminary plats are used for planning purposes only. This amendment exposes local governments and building officials to unnecessary liability because it requires permits to be issued based on incomplete information. To base approvals on temporary or preliminary plats with civil engineering plans shifts a high level of risk to the local government and the civil engineer of record.

Please contact Charles Chapman with any questions.
Keep Us Informed
 
Please email Allison Payne and let us know what communications you have with legislators on this issue.  

Thank you for your advocacy efforts!