By Lilly Rockwell
The News Service of Florida
After just 30 minutes of debate, the House passed a bill on a largely party-line vote of 86-31 that overhauls the state’s 25-year-old growth management laws on Thursday, giving Florida’s cities and counties far greater control over the approval of new developments.
Environmentalists and many House Democrats fear the bill (HB 7129) would encourage sprawl and congestion by reducing state oversight of growth planning decisions. But supporters say the state oversight provided in a 1985 growth management law is no longer needed as cities and counties have a greater ability to police development.
“This bill does a lot to take the burden off of our local governments,” said Rep. Ritch Workman (R-Melbourne), the bill’s sponsor. He said in tough economic times, the state cannot afford to place “unnecessary and burdensome” requirements on local governments.
Under the current law, the state requires developers to help foot the bill for roads, schools and parks and reviews all changes to local comprehensive plans.
Republicans have complained for several years that the process has slowed growth in the state.
Under the bill, which still needs Senate approval, it is largely left up to counties and cities whether to require developers to pay for infrastructure improvements and there is no longer a state-mandated review of all changes to comprehensive plans.
Democrats argued that the current law was working just fine. Democratic lawmakers said the state is already struggling with overbuilt communities and vacant homes, a clear sign that the law does not slow development.
“We’ve never had a lot of complaints until the last couple of years when, because of the economy, all of the developments stopped,” said Rep. Ron Saunders (D-Key West). “Here we are, overreacting to the economy by trying to wipe out state oversight for growth management.”
Saunders also said requiring state review of development decisions is a deterrent to corruption. In Palm Beach County, several commissioners have been convicted on public corruption charges involving developer bribes.
There was considerable disagreement between Republicans and Democrats over whether the bill reduced the ability for local residents to challenge development decisions. Democrats say the bill lowers the standard developers must meet to succeed in legal disputes, stacking the odds against the person or organization challenging them.
But Republicans say the bill still allows citizen input, and keeps the same legal standard that the state’s land planning agency, the Department of Community Affairs, already uses.
“This bill protects citizen participation,” said Rep. Fred Costello (R-Ormond Beach). He said the measure requires two public meetings on comprehensive plan changes.
As Republicans have targeted growth management regulations as job-killers, Gov. Rick Scott has pushed a legislative proposal to merge the Department of Community Affairs with other state agencies. Under the House bill, DCA would remain but its staff would be reduced due to less need for oversight.
On Wednesday, House Democrats tried to change the bill and keep more of the components of the 1985 growth management law. But Republicans rejected those amendments along party line votes.
The Senate has been considering a similar bill (SB 1122), which is awaiting a hearing in the Budget Committee.