by Edie Ousley
Florida Home Builders Association
Expect to hear a lot about growth management in the coming months.
The Florida Senate, House of Representatives and Governor Jeb Bush have each listed growth management among their top priorities for the 2005 Legislative Session.
A host of top lawmakers, including Sen. Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, and Rep. Randy Johnson, R-Winter Garden, and the Department of Community Affairs are expected to join Bush in being highly visible on this issue.
“When select committees, the Governor, and state agencies focus on one issue, you can expect that issue to come up during Legislative Session,” said Douglas Buck, the Florida Home Builders Association’s Director of Governmental Affairs.
At the heart of the growth management debate will likely be a number of often-heated topics: affordable housing, urban sprawl, density, citizen participation, infrastructure, financially feasible capital improvement plans, and regional planning council reviews.
While growth management will take top billing during the 60-day session, lawmakers are also expected to address a number of other equally important issues.
Given the unprecedented number of hurricanes last year, it’s likely that lawmakers will address any unresolved building code-related issues. And FHBA will be seeking a building code reform bill to clean up the process.
Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, and Rep. Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, are expected to file a bill seeking quicker binding interpretations, an assurance that the International Code is the base code of the Florida Building Code, and that the Florida Building Commission has limited ability to modify the base code.
Water again will likely be a topic of debate in the session.
Even though Florida experienced a wetter-than-anticipated 2004, FHBA expects water-related discussions that will revolve around such issues as where the water is located, which jurisdictions need water, who will allocate it, and what purposes it should be reserved for.
Throughout the session, FHBA will be looking for opportunities to pass technical amendments to the Mechanics Lien law, as well as avenues to address impact fees and inclusionary zoning.
The 2005 Legislative Session is set to get underway on March 8, concluding on May 6.
- Edie Ousley is the Public Affairs Director of the Florida Home Builders Association.