Latest news with #SB180
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida lawmakers must take local land-use change limit off legislative agenda
In the last scheduled days of their tumultuous 2025 session, Florida legislators passed Senate Bill 180 'to bolster hurricane relief and recovery and enhance response efforts in Florida,' according to a Senate press release trumpeting the legislation. But among some healthy policy prescriptions, SB 180 includes a poison pill conspicuously missing from that press release: a provision that would prevent any local government in Florida from adopting any amendment that could be deemed more 'restrictive or burdensome' to its comprehensive plan — its blueprint for orderly and sustainable growth — along with its land development regulations (LDRs) and procedures. This is a sweeping, undefined provision that could rule out any changes to local growth guidelines in Florida unless developers agree and sponsor the change. And under the bill, this provision would apply retroactively from Aug. 1, 2024, through Oct. 1, 2027. Which means that if SB 180 becomes law without any amendments, much if not most local land-use planning in Florida will be suspended for three years. When state lawmakers passed Florida's Community Planning Act in 2011, their justification for eliminating the state's land planning oversight agency, the Department of Community Affairs, was that they wanted to empower local leaders to make planning decisions. But with SB 180, they have severely curtailed that power. Ironically for a bill that purports to promote emergency planning and disaster recovery, this provision could prevent local governments from making the kinds of changes to their comp plans and LDRs that would make their communities more resilient to future storms. A comp plan change that would steer future development away from storm-vulnerable areas, for example, would be considered more restrictive and burdensome. Ditto, updated regulations on stormwater management to prevent flooding. Even periodic, state-required updates to comprehensive plans could be called into question. Protest Florida state parks: USA Today Network-Florida Opinion campaign to preserve and protect our state parks These scenarios are not hypothetical. In 2023, the Legislature passed SB 250, a law with a similar though narrower three-year ban on more restrictive or burdensome changes to comp plans and LDRs for 11 counties that had been in the path of Hurricane Ian. This month, Manatee County commissioners were told by the state Department of Commerce that they would be violating that 2023 law if they voted to restore the county's strong wetland protections in its comprehensive plan. As reported by the Bradenton Herald, an incredulous Commissioner Bob McCann said, 'SB 250 was for hurricane disaster relief. How can you say getting rid of wetlands … has anything to do with disaster relief?' It is hard to imagine any reasonable limit on growth and development through a comp plan amendment or LDR change that would not be considered restrictive or burdensome unless a developer proposed it. And if developers object to limits, the bill creates grounds for them to sue. Communities at that point are given two choices under the bill: either withdraw their amendment to a plan or regulation, or go to court, and risk paying the legal costs of the developer who sued them. We'll give legislators the benefit of the doubt, and assume they didn't realize the deeply damaging impact of this provision when they voted for the bill. After all, the final version is 48 pages, with nearly 1,400 lines of text. And it was amended no less than 10 times between its introduction and final passage, likely making its details a mystery to many of the members who voted to approve it. This is but one example of the deeply flawed process that repeatedly leads to laws laced with unintended consequences. Legislative budget battle: Florida lawmakers paralyzed over tax breaks they can't afford to give Legislative leaders are currently deadlocked over tax cuts and other budget-related issues. SB 180 passed with only one negative vote each in the Senate and House. Though the session has been extended, the agenda is currently limited to budget-related items and the Senate president's Rural Renaissance bill. But with a two-thirds majority in both houses, the presiding officers could expand the agenda to address the existential threat to local land-use planning in Florida, while preserving the good elements in SB 180. We urge them to do so, not only for the fate of local land-use planning in Florida, but for the millions of Floridians who deserve a meaningful say in the future of their communities. Paul Owens is the president of 1000 Friends of Florida, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to planning for fiscally and environmentally sustainable communities. This opinion piece was distributed by The Invading Sea website. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida set to disrupt orderly, sustainable local growth | Opinion
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida lawmakers pass hurricane bill amid restriction fears
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida is just days away from the start of hurricane season, and NOAA is predicting another above average season ahead. State lawmakers are hoping their latest hurricane bill will help ease the recovery process, but not everyone was behind the effort from the start. The hurricane bill package (SB 180) lawmakers pushed across the finish line aims to help Floridians rebuild after future storms, as well as increase disaster planning on the local level; but critics of the bill say it could actually prevent resiliency after a hurricane hits. DeSantis signs bill allowing gold, silver to be used as currency 'I think it will make our state stronger going forward, and it will help those of us who are recovering from a really terrible hurricane year,' said State Rep. Fiona McFarland (R-Sarasota). A sponsor of the bill, McFarland, says there is no 'perfect' bill out there, but is proud of the work her and her colleagues did this session. However, that didn't stop local lawmakers from raising concerns with the bill language during committee debate. 'Although there's lots and lots of great things in this bill, I think we still have a little more work to do,' said State Rep. Linda Chaney (R-St. Pete Beach). She's especially concerned about the section focusing on building back better after the storms, with the bill language possibly adding restrictions to local disaster recovery (LDR) and comprehensive emergency management plans (COMPLANS).'It's a hurricane every year, we're always 100 miles from the track. So that's in essence telling all local governments you cannot change your COMPLANS and your LDR'S to be more restrictive,' Chaney said. Chaney added that counties along the coast were raising red flags, pointing to unintended consequences that could restrict local governments who want to develop and recover their properties. Matthew Singer, with Florida League of Cities, who represents 411 Florida cities, towns, and villages, echoed those remarks.'Whether it's anti-growth interests or business competitors, a city updating its drainage system after a storm or approving a new project could face a legal challenge if someone argues that it's burdensome to their operations, which can delay recovery and progress,' Singer said. Sponsors of the bill shared that lawmakers learn something new during and after each hurricane season, and they hope to continue to work with Floridians and local municipalities across the state to develop future legislation in the year ahead. DeSantis has yet to sign the bill into law. He also has the option to veto it, but local lawmakers don't see that happening and believe it will get the green light from the governor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Florida Bill Could See Higher Flood Insurance Costs This Year
A bill trying to "bolster hurricane relief and recovery" in Florida could end up increasing the cost of flood insurance for thousands of homeowners in the state, experts warned, adding more weight to their growing financial burden. Senate Bill 180, which has already passed both the Florida House and Senate with nearly unanimous support, is now heading to Governor Ron DeSantis' desk. The bill aims to help homeowners in the Sunshine State rebuild more quickly after natural disasters, which are becoming more frequent and destructive due to climate change. However, in its attempt to expedite these efforts, critics argue that the legislation may hinder residents from implementing key changes that would enhance their homes' resilience to extreme weather events. Florida homeowners have seen the cost of home insurance skyrocket in recent years due to a combination of more frequent and severe natural disasters, widespread fraud, and excessive litigation. Although the market has stabilized over the past year, homeowners in the state continue to pay some of the highest premiums in the country. At $2,625 per year, the average cost of home insurance in the state is 24 percent higher than the national average of $2,110, according to NerdWallet. Flood insurance, which is not required by law, is an additional cost on top of the standard property insurance policy for homeowners in the state. According to NerdWallet, the average annual cost of flood insurance in the state is $865 for a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy. Changes introduced by SB 180 could increase the cost of flood insurance even further for Florida homeowners, potentially discouraging some from obtaining coverage for their homes at all-a risky proposition in such a disaster-prone state. SB 180 has been celebrated by sponsor Nick DiCeglie, a Republican state senator representing Indian Rocks Beach, as legislation that would offer Florida homeowners "a clear path to recovery" after being hit by a storm. "We're fighting for families to focus on rebuilding without additional delays or burdens, especially for those who sustained damage or lost their homes," the senator said in a press release. "Working with our state and local emergency responders, we can streamline restoration efforts and improve emergency response coordination, fortifying and strengthening our communities before the next storm." Newsweek reached out to DiCeglie via email for comment on Monday. The bill's efforts to streamline rebuilding after a hurricane, however, include a two-year freeze on the adoption of stricter building codes that could strengthen Florida homes, a measure that critics say would prevent local governments from introducing important reforms. It would also make it easier for homeowners whose properties have been destroyed or damaged in a natural disaster to avoid elevating their homes once they rebuild-an improvement that experts consider crucial to strengthen residences against more frequent and more severe extreme weather events. Under the proposed legislation, only homes that have suffered storm damage equal to more than 50 percent of their value must be demolished and rebuilt entirely-the minimum requirement set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Strengthening a home exposed to potentially devastating natural disasters not only makes this property more resilient, protecting the owner and their assets, but it also makes coverage more affordable. Insurers often offer discounts to policyholders who make efforts to strengthen their homes against extreme weather events under programs such as FEMA's Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant and the Sunshine State's Elevate Florida. This state-run program, launched last year, offers to cover at least 75 percent of the cost of mitigation projects, including elevating a home damaged in a storm, which promises to lower insurance costs and increase the property's value. A study conducted by the state and cited by several local newspapers found that 44 out of the 122 communities that currently elevate their homes after an impactful natural disaster would lose points toward discounts on flood insurance premiums due to SB 180. Twelve would no longer qualify for the level of discount they currently benefit from: Bay County, Leon County, Orange County, Dania Beach, Jupiter Beach, Palm Springs, Estero, Lake Mary, Hialeah, Bonita Springs, Hollywood and the Pensacola Beach Santa Rosa Island Authority. According to the study's estimates, approximately 44,000 Florida homeowners would end up paying more for flood insurance coverage as a result of the bill taking effect, resulting in a total annual increase of $1.6 million statewide, or $36 per person. Florida state Senator Nick DiCeglie, who sponsored the bill, in a statement: "If we can keep one more person in their home to keep them out of the 50 percent rule, that's one person that does not have to deal with the incredibly stressful situation of tearing down their home and elevating." Del Schwalls, a floodplain management consultant, told the Tampa Bay Times: "It's really frustrating. It prevents anyone from trying to fix this flood, repair, flood, repair cycle." Kimberleigh Dinkins, policy and planning director of advocacy group 1000 Friends of Florida, in a statement: "A lot of times, a local government can evaluate the impact that a storm has on their community, and make adjustments to their land development code to make themselves more resilient. Under this scenario, they wouldn't be able to do that." She added: "It's removing one of the tools in the toolbox to increase resiliency. It basically is saying: okay, you have more opportunities to build back in a way that's resulting in flooding." The bill is now awaiting the governor's signature, but DeSantis has not yet indicated whether he will sign the legislation. If signed, the bill's provisions could take effect during the upcoming hurricane season, potentially affecting insurance premiums and building standards statewide amid ongoing market volatility. Related Articles Florida Homeowners 'Living Nightmare' As Construction Company Goes BankruptHow Donald Trump Could Boost US High-Speed RailFlorida Man Dies in Police Shooting After Surviving Apparent Gator AttackFlorida Boat Explosion: 11 Reported Hospitalized After Blast in Waterway 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
27-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Florida Bill Could See Higher Flood Insurance Costs This Year
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A bill trying to "bolster hurricane relief and recovery" in Florida could end up increasing the cost of flood insurance for thousands of homeowners in the state, experts warned, adding more weight to their growing financial burden. Senate Bill 180, which has already passed both the Florida House and Senate with nearly unanimous support, is now heading to Governor Ron DeSantis' desk. The bill aims to help homeowners in the Sunshine State rebuild more quickly after natural disasters, which are becoming more frequent and destructive due to climate change. However, in its attempt to expedite these efforts, critics argue that the legislation may hinder residents from implementing key changes that would enhance their homes' resilience to extreme weather events. Why It Matters Florida homeowners have seen the cost of home insurance skyrocket in recent years due to a combination of more frequent and severe natural disasters, widespread fraud, and excessive litigation. Although the market has stabilized over the past year, homeowners in the state continue to pay some of the highest premiums in the country. At $2,625 per year, the average cost of home insurance in the state is 24 percent higher than the national average of $2,110, according to NerdWallet. Flood insurance, which is not required by law, is an additional cost on top of the standard property insurance policy for homeowners in the state. According to NerdWallet, the average annual cost of flood insurance in the state is $865 for a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy. Changes introduced by SB 180 could increase the cost of flood insurance even further for Florida homeowners, potentially discouraging some from obtaining coverage for their homes at all—a risky proposition in such a disaster-prone state. What To Know SB 180 has been celebrated by sponsor Nick DiCeglie, a Republican state senator representing Indian Rocks Beach, as legislation that would offer Florida homeowners "a clear path to recovery" after being hit by a storm. "We're fighting for families to focus on rebuilding without additional delays or burdens, especially for those who sustained damage or lost their homes," the senator said in a press release. "Working with our state and local emergency responders, we can streamline restoration efforts and improve emergency response coordination, fortifying and strengthening our communities before the next storm." Newsweek reached out to DiCeglie via email for comment on Monday. A worker helps raise a home with jacks and framing material in Treasure Island, Florida, on May 23, 2025. A worker helps raise a home with jacks and framing material in Treasure Island, Florida, on May 23, bill's efforts to streamline rebuilding after a hurricane, however, include a two-year freeze on the adoption of stricter building codes that could strengthen Florida homes, a measure that critics say would prevent local governments from introducing important reforms. It would also make it easier for homeowners whose properties have been destroyed or damaged in a natural disaster to avoid elevating their homes once they rebuild—an improvement that experts consider crucial to strengthen residences against more frequent and more severe extreme weather events. Under the proposed legislation, only homes that have suffered storm damage equal to more than 50 percent of their value must be demolished and rebuilt entirely—the minimum requirement set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Strengthening a home exposed to potentially devastating natural disasters not only makes this property more resilient, protecting the owner and their assets, but it also makes coverage more affordable. Insurers often offer discounts to policyholders who make efforts to strengthen their homes against extreme weather events under programs such as FEMA's Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant and the Sunshine State's Elevate Florida. This state-run program, launched last year, offers to cover at least 75 percent of the cost of mitigation projects, including elevating a home damaged in a storm, which promises to lower insurance costs and increase the property's value. A study conducted by the state and cited by several local newspapers found that 44 out of the 122 communities that currently elevate their homes after an impactful natural disaster would lose points toward discounts on flood insurance premiums due to SB 180. Twelve would no longer qualify for the level of discount they currently benefit from: Bay County, Leon County, Orange County, Dania Beach, Jupiter Beach, Palm Springs, Estero, Lake Mary, Hialeah, Bonita Springs, Hollywood and the Pensacola Beach Santa Rosa Island Authority. According to the study's estimates, approximately 44,000 Florida homeowners would end up paying more for flood insurance coverage as a result of the bill taking effect, resulting in a total annual increase of $1.6 million statewide, or $36 per person. What People Are Saying Florida state Senator Nick DiCeglie, who sponsored the bill, in a statement: "If we can keep one more person in their home to keep them out of the 50 percent rule, that's one person that does not have to deal with the incredibly stressful situation of tearing down their home and elevating." Del Schwalls, a floodplain management consultant, told the Tampa Bay Times: "It's really frustrating. It prevents anyone from trying to fix this flood, repair, flood, repair cycle." Kimberleigh Dinkins, policy and planning director of advocacy group 1000 Friends of Florida, in a statement: "A lot of times, a local government can evaluate the impact that a storm has on their community, and make adjustments to their land development code to make themselves more resilient. Under this scenario, they wouldn't be able to do that." She added: "It's removing one of the tools in the toolbox to increase resiliency. It basically is saying: okay, you have more opportunities to build back in a way that's resulting in flooding." What Happens Next The bill is now awaiting the governor's signature, but DeSantis has not yet indicated whether he will sign the legislation. If signed, the bill's provisions could take effect during the upcoming hurricane season, potentially affecting insurance premiums and building standards statewide amid ongoing market volatility.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
League of Cities brief local officials on new hurricane-response legislation
The Florida League of Cities briefed local government officials on May 15, 2025, about the implications of a new law controlling post-storm planning. Local government officials are attempting to come to terms with recent legislation (SB 180) intended to make sure they are better prepared to handle the aftermath of a a major storm or hurricane. Pinellas County Republican Sen. Nick DiCeglie sponsored the measure. He said it was 'personal' for him, having observed homeowners' frustrations dealing with their local governments in the aftermaths of Hurricanes Helene and Milton last fall. After the Senate initially passed the bill last month, he issued a statement saying that, following a major storm, citizens need a 'clear path to recovery, not roadblocks.' 'When local bureaucracy overshadows the needs of citizens, Floridians are left picking up the pieces,' he said. 'We're fighting for families to focus on rebuilding without additional delays or burdens, especially for those who sustained damage or lost their homes. Working with our state and local responders, we can streamline restoration efforts and improve emergency response coordination, fortifying and strengthening our communities before the next storm.' The bill contains more than a dozen provisions affecting everything to do with emergency management preparedness and response, as described during a Zoom conference call Thursday organized by the Florida League of Cities, Perhaps most controversially for local governments is that it prohibits a county or a city located entirely or partially within 100 miles of a hurricane's track from proposing or adopting moratoriums on construction, reconstruction, or redevelopment of any property. It also prohibits adopting a 'more restrictive or burdensome amendment' or 'burdensome procedure' to their comprehensive plans or land development regulations concerning review, approval, or issuance of a site plan, development permit, or development order until Oct. 1, 2027, applied retroactively to Aug. 1, 2024. 'You may be asking what is 'burdensome' and what is 'more restrictive?' said Matt Singer with the League, who cited a lack of a clear definition as the reason the League opposed the measure. The bill allows for a 'cause of action,' meaning citizens and/or business owners would be able to challenge any local update on the ground that it is burdensome or more restrictive to them. 'And so it's really, really important that you check this language and see if any of your local updates that have already been made would be affected, and whether's there's any liability created there,' Singer said. 'As a result of that, there's a lot of legal uncertainty,' he said, adding that the League worked closely with DiCeglie and the House bill (HB 1535) sponsor, Sarasota Republican Fiona McFarland, to have that provision removed, but it was ultimately placed back in the House bill. That provision is already drawing attention from local lawmakers who say that it could prevent them from making changes to prevent future flooding from storms. 'It affects every county and every city in the state that you can't control the way that you're developing and the way that you're managing your own land,' Volusia County Commission Chairman Jeff Brower told WESH-TV in Orlando this week. 'And local governments should be doing that.' The bill requires local governments to develop post-storm permitting plans to expedite recovery and rebuilding by providing for special building permitting and inspection procedures following a hurricane or tropical storm. Plans must include adequate staffing for building inspection, permitting, and enforcement and provide multiple locations offering building permit services. The measure says that local governments participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) may not adopt what is known as a 'lookback' period. That means any work completed on a house within a specified period (which can be as long as 5+ years) when determining what counts towards FEMA's 50% rule. The NFIP's 50% Rule states that repairs made to a home in a designated flood zone cannot exceed 50% of the home's market value unless the entire structure is brought into full compliance with current flood regulations. Singer did tell members of the League that 'there are positive things in this bill,' specifically a $5,000 penalty for breach of contract for goods and services during a storm. 'This is in response to some local perspectives that we were able to share with the legislators where cities have had contracts in place with debris removal, and contractors unfortunately just no-show, no-call, and go to another place where they can get some more money,' he said. 'The bottom line here is that Senate bill 180 would reshape many aspects to municipal emergency response across the board, and it imposes a lot of new planning and publication duties,' Singer added. The measure has yet to be sent to Gov. DeSantis desk. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
