Process for review and adoption of plan amendments (§§163.3184 and 163.3187, F.S.)

This is a summary review of §§163.3184 and 163.3187, F.S., as amended in 2011 (by Sections 17 and 18 of Florida HB 7207). It addresses the process of amending the local comprehensive plan.

In this review, the language of the statute may be summarized, paraphrased, re-ordered, and/or reformatted, so refer to the full language of the bill or the official Florida Statutes for the actual statutory provisions.

1. Section 163.3184 is changed to direct how all plan amendments, except small-scale amendments, are processed. Section 163.3187 is changed from directing how all plan amendments are processed to just addressing the process for small-scale amendments.
2. A significant change is the deletion of the restriction limiting amendments of the comprehensive plan to no more than twice a year, from previous §163.3187(1)(a), F.S.
3. The definition of “in compliance” is amended to remove the reference to the state comprehensive plan and chapter 9J-5, Florida Administrative Code. (§163.3184(1)(b), F.S.)
4. A definition list of “reviewing agencies” is added. (§163.3184(1)(c), F.S.)
5. Expedited State Review Process. An expedited state review process, based on the previous §163.32465(2) pilot program, is added.
   1. All plan amendments, on a state-wide basis, must follow this expedited process except: in an area of critical state concern, that propose a rural land stewardship area or a sector plan, that update the comprehensive plan based on a § 163.3191 evaluation and appraisal, or that are for a new plan for a newly incorporated municipality. The exceptions must follow the “State coordinated review process” of §163.3184(4). (§163.3184(2) and (3)(a), F.S.)
   2. Qualifying small-scale development amendments may use the expedited process or the small scale process of §163.3187. (§163.3184(2)(b), F.S.)
   3. Reviewers’ commenting process (all new language, although some is borrowed).
      1. Within 10 days of the initial public hearing, the local government must transmit the proposed amendments, and appropriate supporting data and analyses, to the applicable “reviewing agencies” and any other local government or governmental agency that has filed a written request (“reviewers” for this discussion). (§163.3184(3)(b)1., F.S.)
      2. The reviewers must transmit their comments so they are received by the local government not later than 30 days from the date the reviewer received the plan amendment and must also send a copy of their comments to the state land planning agency. (§163.3184(3)(b)2., F.S.)
      3. The reviewers are limited in the allowable scope of their comments.
         1. State agencies may only comment on important state resources and facilities that would be adversely impacted by the amendment and must state their comments with specificity, identifying measures the local government may take to eliminate, reduce, or mitigate the adverse impacts. Such state agency comments, if not resolved, may result in a challenge by the state land planning agency to the plan amendment. (§163.3184(3)(b)2., F.S.)
      4. The Department of Environmental Protection must limit its comments to the subjects of air and water pollution; wetlands and other surface waters of the state; federal and state-owned lands and interests in lands; solid waste; water and wastewater treatment; and the Everglades ecosystem restoration. (§163.3184(3)(b)4.a., F.S.)
      5. The Department of State must limit its comments to the subjects of historic and archeological resources. (§163.3184(3)(b)4.b., F.S.)
      6. The Department of Transportation must limit its comments to issues within the agency’s jurisdiction related to transportation resources and facilities of state importance. (§163.3184(3)(b)4.c., F.S.)
      7. The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission must limit its comments to subjects relating to fish and wildlife habitat and listed species and their habitat. (§163.3184(3)(b)4.d., F.S.)
      8. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services must limit its comments to the subjects of agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture issues. (§163.3184(3)(b)4.e., F.S.)
      9. The Department of Education must limit its comments to the subject of public school facilities. (§163.3184(3)(b)4.f., F.S.)
      10. The appropriate water management district must limit its comments to flood protection and floodplain management, wetlands and other surface waters, and regional water supply. (§163.3184(3)(b)4.g., F.S.)
      11. The state land planning agency must limit its comments to important state resources and facilities outside the jurisdiction of other commenting state agencies and may include comments on countervailing planning policies and objectives served by the plan amendment that should be balanced against potential adverse impacts to important state resources and facilities.(§163.3184(3)(b)4.h., F.S.)
      12. The regional planning council comments are limited to adverse effects on regional resources or facilities identified in the strategic regional policy plan and extra-jurisdictional impacts that would be inconsistent with the comprehensive plan of any affected local government within the region. A regional planning council may not comment on a proposed plan amendment prepared by the council unless the plan amendment has been changed by the local government after it was prepared by the regional planning council. (§163.3184(3)(b)3.a., F.S.)
          
      13. County comments must be in the context of the relationship and effect of the proposed plan amendments on the county plan. (§163.3184(3)(b)3.b., F.S.)
      14. Municipal comments must be in the context of the relationship and effect of the proposed plan amendments on the municipal plan. (§163.3184(3)(b)3.c., F.S.)
      15. Military installation comments must follow §163.3175. (§163.3184(3)(b)3.d., F.S.)
6. The second public hearing, which is the hearing on whether or not to adopt the plan amendment, is held in the same manner as the non-expedited review second public hearing. (§163.3184(3)(c)1., F.S.)
7. If the local government fails to hold the second public hearing on the plan amendments, except those processed pursuant to §380.06, within 180 days after the receipt of the reviewers’ comments, the amendments must be deemed withdrawn, unless extended by agreement (the statute does not say between whom) with notice to the state land planning agency and any “affected person” who provided comments on the amendment. (§163.3184(3)(c)1., F.S.)
8. An adopted plan amendment, along with the supporting data and analysis, must be transmitted within 10 days after the second public hearing to the state land planning agency and any timely commenting reviewers. (§163.3184(3)(c)2., F.S.)
   1. The transmitted amendment package must be “complete.” To be complete, an amendment must contain:
      1. a full, executed copy of the adoption ordinance;
      2. in the case of a text amendment, a full copy of the amended language in legislative format with new words inserted in the text underlined, and words deleted stricken with hyphens;
      3. in the case of a future land use map amendment, a copy of the future land use map clearly depicting the parcel, its existing future land use designation, and its adopted designation; and
      4. a copy of any data and analyses the local government deems appropriate. (§163.3184(3)(c)3., F.S.)
9. The state land planning agency must notify the local government of any deficiencies within five working days after the receipt of a complete amendment package. (§163.3184(3)(c)3., F.S.)
10. An amendment adopted under this process that is not challenged, in a timely manner, becomes effective 31 days after the state land planning agency notifies the local government that the plan amendment package is complete. (§163.3184(3)(c)4., F.S.)
11. If timely challenged, an amendment does not become effective until the state land planning agency or the Administration Commission enters a final order determining the adopted amendment to be in compliance. (§163.3184(3)(c)4., F.S.)
    

• State Coordinated Review Process.
  1. All comprehensive plans or plan amendments that aren’t reviewed under the expedited or small-scale review process are reviewed through this process. (§163.3184(4)(a), F.S.)
  2. The state land planning agency is responsible for plan review, coordination, and the preparation and transmission of comments to the local government for this type of review. (§163.3184(4)(a), F.S.)
  3. Local government transmittal. Immediately following the first public hearing on a comprehensive plan or plan amendment under this process, the local government must transmit the plan amendment, clearly identified as being under this type of review, to the “reviewing agencies” and any other unit of local government or government agency in the state that has so requested by written request. (§163.3184(4)(b), F.S.)
     1. The previous language of §163.3184(3)(b), F.S., about what materials should be sent to what agency, is deleted.
     2. The previous language of §163.3184(3)(d), F.S., about what constitutes an amendment cycle, is deleted.
  4. Reviewers’ comments. The reviewing agencies comments and any other commenter (except the state land planning agency) are to be made in the same manner and with the same restrictions as for the expedited state review process except any comments must be sent by the agencies to the state land planning agency within 30 days after the state land planning agency received the complete proposed plan or plan amendment from the local government. (§163.3184(4)(c), F.S.)
     1. The previous language of §163.3184(5), F.S., about the review by the regional planning council, any county, or any municipality, is deleted, as that was indicated (in substantially similar language) in the expedited review process and applied by reference.
  5. Written comments submitted by the public are to be sent directly to the local government. (§163.3184(4)(c), F.S.)
  6. The state land planning agency review.
     1. If the state land planning agency elects to review a plan or plan amendment submitted through this process, the agency must issue a report giving its objections, recommendations, and comments (“ORC report”) within 60 days after the receipt of the plan or plan amendment. (§163.3184(4)(d)1., F.S.)
     2. Notwithstanding the limitations on comments by the state land planning agency indicated in the expedited process, the state land planning agency may make objections, recommendations, and comments in its report regarding whether the plan or plan amendment is in compliance and/or will adversely impact important state resources and facilities. (§163.3184(4)(d)1., F.S.)
        1. Although the enrolled version of the adopting bill indicates sub-subparagraph (3)(b)4.g., it is assumed the reference was supposed to be to (3)(b)4.h. instead, since that is the one that speaks to the state land planning agency comment limitations.
     3. The state land planning agency, in conducting its review of local plans or plan amendments, may make objections, recommendations, and comments regarding densities and intensities consistent with the provisions of the statute. (§163.3184(4)(d)1., F.S.)
     4. Any objection that says the plan or plan amendment will adversely impact an important state resource or facility must specify how the important state resource or facility will be impacted and identify measures the local government may take to eliminate, reduce, or mitigate the adverse impacts. (§163.3184(4)(d)1., F.S.)
     5. In preparing its comments, the state land planning agency must only base its considerations on written, and not oral, comments. (§163.3184(4)(d)1., F.S.)
     6. The state land planning agency review must identify all written communications with the agency regarding the proposed plan amendment. The written identification must include a list of all documents received or generated by the agency, which list must be of sufficient specificity to enable the documents to be identified and copies requested, if desired, and the name of the person to be contacted to request copies of any identified document. (§163.3184(4)(d)2., F.S.)
     7. The previous language of §163.3184(6)(a), F.S., about the review by the state land planning agency at the request of a regional planning council, affected person, or local government, is deleted
     8. The previous language of §163.3184(6)(b), F.S., about the state land planning agency being able to review any proposed plan amendment if notice is provided to the local government, is deleted
  7. When a federal, state, or regional agency has implemented a permitting program, a local government is not required to duplicate or exceed that permitting program in its comprehensive plan or to implement such a permitting program in its land development regulations. (§163.3184(4)(d)1., F.S.)
     1. The presence of substantially the same language in §163.3177(1)(e), F.S., which addresses the requirements of comprehensive plans, indicates this provision has wider application than just the state land planning agency review of plan amendments.
  8. Local government review of comments. The local government must review the report submitted to it by the state land planning agency, if any, and any written comments submitted to it by any other person, agency, or government. (§163.3184(4)(e)1., F.S.)
  9. Adoption of the comprehensive plan or plan amendment. Upon receipt of the report from the state land planning agency, the local government must hold the decision public hearing, to adopt or not adopt the plan or plan amendment, pursuant to the provisions of subsection 163.3184(11). Except plan amendments processed pursuant to the DRI process, if the hearing is not held within 180 days after receipt of the state land planning agency’s report, the amendments will be deemed withdrawn, unless extended by agreement (between the applicant and the local government?) with notice to the state land planning agency and any “affected person” that provided comments. (§163.3184(4)(e)1., F.S.)
  10. Transmittal.
      1. All comprehensive plan amendments adopted by the governing body, along with the supporting data and analysis, must be transmitted within 10 days after the second public hearing to the state land planning agency and any other agency or local government that provided timely comments. (§163.3184(4)(e)2., F.S.)
      2. The state land planning agency must notify the local government of any completeness deficiencies within 5 working days after receipt of a plan or plan amendment package. What constitutes a “complete” package is the same as required for the expedited review process. (§163.3184(4)(e)3., F.S.)
  11. After the state land planning agency makes a completeness determination, the agency has 45 days to determine if the plan or plan amendment is in compliance with the Community Planning Act. (§163.3184(4)(e)4., F.S.)
      1. Unless the plan or plan amendment is substantially changed from the one commented on, the state land planning agency’s compliance determination is limited to objections raised in the “ORC” report. (§163.3184(4)(e)4., F.S.)
      2. Within the 45 day determination period, a senior administrator or the secretary of the state land planning agency must issue a notice of intent to find that the plan or plan amendment is or is not in compliance. (§163.3184(4)(e)4., F.S.)
      3. A copy of the notice of intent must be posted on the state land planning agency’s Internet website. This publication of the notice of intent on the state land planning agency’s Internet site is prima facie evidence of compliance with the publication requirements. (§163.3184(4)(e)4., F.S.)
  12. Effective date.
      1. A plan or plan amendment adopted under the state coordinated review process goes into effect pursuant to the state land planning agency’s notice of intent. (§163.3184(4)(e)5., F.S.)
      2. If timely challenged, an amendment does not become effective until the state land planning agency or the Administration Commission enters a final order determining the adopted amendment to be in compliance. (§163.3184(4)(e)5., F.S.)

• Administrative challenges to comprehensive plans and plan amendments. (all new language)
  1. This process replaces the provisions of §163.3184(9) and (10)
  2. Any “affected person” (the definition of which did not change) may file a petition with the Division of Administrative Hearing, pursuant to ss. 120.569 and 120.57, with a copy served on the affected local government, within 30 days after the local government adopts the plan or amendment, to request a formal hearing to challenge whether the plan or plan amendments are “in compliance,” as defined in the section. (§163.3184(5)(a), F.S.)
     1. The state land planning agency may not intervene in this proceeding. (§163.3184(5)(a), F.S.)
     2. Due to the timing deadlines, an affected person wishing to file may not know the state land planning agency’s decision on whether the amendment is in compliance before the filing deadline.
  3. The state land planning agency may file a petition with the Division of Administrative Hearings, pursuant to ss. 120.569 and 120.57, with a copy served on the affected local government, to request a formal hearing to challenge whether the plan or plan amendments are “in compliance,” as defined in the section. (§163.3184(5)(b), F.S.)
     1. The agency’s petition must clearly state the reasons for the challenge.
     2. Under the expedited state review process, the petition must be filed with the division within 30 days after the state land planning agency notifies the local government the plan amendment package is “complete.” (§163.3184(5)(b), F.S.)
     3. Under the state coordinated review process, the petition filing deadline is 45 days after the state land planning agency notifies the local government that the plan amendment package is “complete.” (§163.3184(5)(b), F.S.)
     4. The agency’s challenge to a plan amendment adopted under the expedited state review process is limited to the comments provided by the reviewing agencies, upon a determination by the state land planning agency that an important state resource or facility will be adversely impacted by the adopted plan amendment. (§163.3184(5)(b)1., F.S.)
        1. The petition must state with specificity how the plan amendment will adversely impact the important state resource or facility. (§163.3184(5)(b)1., F.S.)
        2. The agency may challenge a plan amendment that has substantially changed from the version on which the agencies commented but only upon a determination by the state land planning agency that an important state resource or facility will be adversely impacted. (§163.3184(5)(b)1., F.S.)
  4. If the state land planning agency issues a notice of intent to find the comprehensive plan or plan amendment not in compliance with this act, the notice of intent must be forwarded to the Division of Administrative Hearings, which will conduct a proceeding under ss. 120.569 and 120.57 in the county of and convenient to the affected local jurisdiction. (§163.3184(5)(b)2., F.S.)
     1. The parties to the proceeding will be the state land planning agency, the affected local government, and any affected person who intervenes. (§163.3184(5)(b)2., F.S.)
     2. No new issue may be alleged as a reason to find a plan or plan amendment not in compliance in an administrative pleading filed more than 21 days after publication of notice unless the party seeking that issue establishes good cause for not alleging the issue within that time period. Good cause does not include excusable neglect. (§163.3184(5)(b)2., F.S.)
  5. The hearing on whether the plan or plan amendment is in compliance will be held by an administrative law judge in the affected local jurisdiction. (§163.3184(5)(c), F.S.)
     1. In challenges filed by an affected person, the comprehensive plan or plan amendment must be determined to be in compliance if the local government’s determination of compliance is fairly debatable. (§163.3184(5)(c)1., F.S.)
     2. In challenges filed by the state land planning agency, the local government’s determination that the comprehensive plan or plan amendment is in compliance is presumed to be correct and the local government’s determination will be sustained unless it is shown by a preponderance of the evidence that the comprehensive plan or plan amendment is not in compliance. (§163.3184(5)(c)2.a., F.S.)
     3. In challenges filed by the state land planning agency, the local government’s determination that elements of its plan are related to and consistent with each other will be sustained if the determination is fairly debatable. (§163.3184(5)(c)2.b., F.S.)
     4. In challenges filed by the state land planning agency that require a determination by the agency that an important state resource or facility will be adversely impacted by the adopted plan or plan amendment, the local government may contest the agency’s determination of an important state resource or facility. The state land planning agency must prove its determination by clear and convincing evidence. (§163.3184(5)(c)3., F.S.)
  6. Administrative law judge recommendation and final agency action.
     1. If the administrative law judge recommends that the amendment be found not in compliance, the judge must submit the recommended order to the Administration Commission for final agency action. The Administration Commission must enter a final order within 45 days after its receipt of the recommended order. (§163.3184(5)(d), F.S.)
     2. If the administrative law judge recommends that the amendment be found in compliance, the judge must submit the recommended order to the state land planning agency. (§163.3184(5)(d), F.S.)
        1. If the state land planning agency determines that the plan amendment should be found not in compliance, the agency must refer, within 30 days after receipt of the recommended order, the recommended order and its determination to the Administration Commission for final agency action. (§163.3184(5)(d)1., F.S.)
        2. If the state land planning agency determines that the plan amendment should be found in compliance, the agency must enter its final order not later than 30 days after receipt of the recommended order. (§163.3184(5)(d)2., F.S.)
• Compliance Agreements
  1. The provisions are new language that replace, and borrow heavily from, the previous §163.3184(16), F.S., which is deleted.
  2. At any time after the filing of a challenge, the state land planning agency and the local government may voluntarily enter into a compliance agreement to resolve one or more of the issues raised in the proceedings. Affected persons who have initiated a formal proceeding or have intervened in a formal proceeding may also enter into a compliance agreement with the local government. (§163.3184(6)(a), F.S.)
  3. All parties granted intervenor status must be provided reasonable notice (the statute doesn’t say by whom) of the commencement of a compliance agreement negotiation process and a reasonable opportunity to participate in such negotiation process. (§163.3184(6)(a), F.S.)
  4. Negotiation meetings with local governments or intervenors are open to the public. (§163.3184(6)(a), F.S.)
  5. The compliance agreement must list each portion of the plan or plan amendment that has been challenged and specify remedial actions the local government has agreed to complete within a specified time to resolve the challenge, including adoption of all necessary plan amendments. (§163.3184(6)(a), F.S.)
  6. The compliance agreement may also establish monitoring requirements and incentives to ensure that the conditions of the compliance agreement are met. (§163.3184(6)(a), F.S.)
  7. Before its execution of a compliance agreement, the local government must approve the compliance agreement at a public hearing advertised at least 10 days before the public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the area, in accordance with the advertisement requirements of chapter 125 or chapter 166, as applicable. (§163.3184(6)(c), F.S.)
  8. The local government must hold a single public hearing for adopting remedial amendments. (§163.3184(6)(d), F.S.)
  9. The state land planning agency must provide each party granted intervenor status a copy of the compliance agreement within 10 days after the agreement is executed. (§163.3184(6)(a), F.S.)
  10. Upon the filing of a compliance agreement, executed by the parties to the challenge and the local government, with the Division of Administrative Hearings, any administrative proceeding under ss. 120.569 and 120.57 on the plan or plan amendment covered by the compliance agreement must be stayed. (§163.3184(6)(b), F.S.)
  11. For challenges to amendments adopted under the expedited review process, if the local government adopts a comprehensive plan amendment pursuant to a compliance agreement, an affected person or the state land planning agency may file a revised challenge with the Division of Administrative Hearings within 15 days after the adoption of the remedial amendment. (§163.3184(6)(e), F.S.)
  12. For challenges to amendments adopted under the state coordinated process, the state land planning agency, upon receipt of a plan or plan amendment adopted pursuant to a compliance agreement, will issue a cumulative notice of intent addressing both the remedial amendment and the plan or plan amendment that was the subject of the agreement. (§163.3184(6)(f), F.S.)
      1. If the local government adopts a comprehensive plan or plan amendment pursuant to a compliance agreement and a notice of intent to find the plan amendment in compliance is issued, the state land planning agency will forward the notice of intent to the Division of Administrative Hearings and the administrative law judge will realign the parties in the pending proceeding. The proceeding will then be governed by the “affected person” provisions contained in paragraph (5)(a) and subparagraph (5)(c)1. (§163.3184(6)(f)1., F.S.)
      2. Parties to the original proceeding at the time of realignment may continue as parties without being required to file additional pleadings to initiate a proceeding, but may timely amend their pleadings to raise any challenge to the amendment that is the subject of the cumulative notice of intent, and must otherwise conform to the rules of procedure of the Division of Administrative Hearings. (§163.3184(6)(f)1., F.S.)
      3. Any affected person not a party to the realigned proceeding may challenge the plan amendment that is the subject of the cumulative notice of intent by filing a petition with the agency as provided in subsection (5). The agency will forward the petition filed by the affected person not a party to the realigned proceeding to the Division of Administrative Hearings for consolidation with the realigned proceeding. (§163.3184(6)(f)1., F.S.)
      4. If the cumulative notice of intent is not challenged, the state land planning agency must request that the Division of Administrative Hearings relinquish jurisdiction to the state land planning agency for issuance of a final order. (§163.3184(6)(f)1., F.S.)
      5. If the local government adopts a comprehensive plan amendment pursuant to a compliance agreement and a notice of intent is issued that finds the plan amendment not in compliance, the state land planning agency must forward the notice of intent to the Division of Administrative Hearings, which will consolidate the proceeding with the pending proceeding and immediately set a date for a hearing in the pending proceeding under ss. 120.569 and 120.57. (§163.3184(6)(f)2., F.S.)
      6. Affected persons who are not a party to the underlying proceeding under ss. 120.569 and 120.57 may challenge the plan amendment adopted pursuant to the compliance agreement by filing a petition pursuant to paragraph (5)(a). (§163.3184(6)(f)1., F.S.)
  13. The compliance agreement provisions do not prohibit a local government from amending portions of its comprehensive plan other than those that are the subject of a challenge. However, such amendments to the plan may not be inconsistent with the compliance agreement. (§163.3184(6)(g), F.S.)
  14. The compliance agreement provisions do not require settlement by any party against its will or preclude the use of other informal dispute resolution methods in the course of or in addition to the method described in this subsection. (§163.3184(6)(h), F.S.)
• Mediation and expeditious resolution.
  1. At any time after the administrative challenge has been forwarded to the Division of Administrative Hearings, the local government proposing the amendment may demand formal mediation, informal mediation, or expeditious resolution of the amendment proceedings. An affected person who is a party to the proceeding may demand informal mediation or expeditious resolution of the amendment proceedings. The demands are made by serving written notice on the state land planning agency, if the agency is a party to the proceeding, all other parties to the proceeding, and the administrative law judge. (§163.3184(7)(a), F.S.)
  2. Upon receipt of a notice of such a demand, the administrative law judge must set the matter for final hearing no more than 30 days after receipt of the notice. Once a final hearing has been set, no continuance in the hearing, and no additional time for post-hearing submittals, may be granted without the written agreement of the parties absent a finding by the administrative law judge of extraordinary circumstances. Extraordinary circumstances do not include matters relating to workload or need for additional time for preparation, negotiation, or mediation. (§163.3184(7)(b), F.S.)
     1. This provision seems to only apply to the demand for expeditious resolution (especially in light of the tight time frame and the last word of the last sentence), not the demands for formal or informal mediation, even though it purports to apply to all.
  3. Absent a showing of extraordinary circumstances, in an administrative challenge case, the administrative law judge must issue a recommended order within 30 days after filing of the transcript, unless the parties agree in writing to a longer time. (§163.3184(7)(c), F.S.)
  4. Absent a showing of extraordinary circumstances, in an administrative challenge case, the Administration Commission must issue a final order within 45 days after the issuance of the recommended order, unless the parties agree in writing to a longer time. (§163.3184(7)(d), F.S.)
• Administration Commission
  1. The provisions of former subsection (11), now subsection (8), are substantially unchanged, with mainly changes to reflect the new cross references.
  2. One substantive change is to clarify that the sanctions the commission may specify are those to which the local government will be subject if it elects to make the plan amendment effective notwithstanding the determination of noncompliance. (§163.3184(8)(b), F.S.)
• The Good Faith Filing and Exclusive Proceedings provisions of former subsections (12) and (13), respectively, now subsections (9) and (10), respectively, are unchanged.
• Public Hearings
  1. The provisions of former subsection (15), now subsection (11), are substantially unchanged, with mainly changes to reflect the new cross references and cross references to the notice being published pursuant to the relevant provisions of chapter 125 for counties or chapter 166 for municipalities.
  2. One change is to move the language from previous §163.3187(5), F.S. that says nothing in the provisions is intended to prohibit or limit the authority of local governments to require an amendment applicant to pay some or all of the cost of the public notice. (§163.3184(11)(c), F.S.)
• Process for adoption of small-scale comprehensive plan amendments. (§163.3187)
  1. An allowed small-scale amendment is a future land use map amendment for a site-specific small scale development activity of 10 acres or fewer acres, where the annual cumulative acres of small scale amendments by that local government is not in excess of 120 acres and the amendment property is not located within an area of critical state concern (with limited exceptions). (§163.3187(1), F.S.)
     1. A text change that relates directly to the small scale land use map amendment may be adopted simultaneously. (§163.3187(1)(c), F.S.)
     2. The provisions of previous §163.3187(c)1.a.(I) – (III), F.S., which varied the maximum acreage by specific types of areas or factors in the jurisdiction, are deleted.
     3. The provisions of previous §163.3187(c)1.f., F.S., addressing limitations on small scale amendments involving residential land uses, are deleted.
  2. The provisions of previous §163.3187(c)2.a., F.S., addressing public notice requirements, are deleted.
  3. The provisions requiring only one public hearing for the adoption of a small scale amendment remain, with minor modifications. (§163.3187(2), F.S.)
  4. The provisions allowing a doubling of the 10-acre limit for small scale amendment in a rural area of critical economic concern, in certain circumstances, remain, with minor modifications. (§163.3187(3), F.S.)
  5. Any affected person may file a petition to challenge the compliance of a small scale amendment under essentially the same provisions as the previous wording except the local government’s compliance determination, although no longer presumed to be correct, only needs to be shown to be fairly debatable and the state land planning agency may not intervene in a small scale amendment challenge. (§163.3187(5)(a), F.S.)
  6. The provisions of §163.3187(5)(b), F.S., addressing the actions by the administrative law judge and the final agency action on challenges of small scale amendments, are essentially unchanged.
  7. The effective date provisions are essentially unchanged. (§163.3187(5)(c), F.S.)
  8. A new provision was added which say, in all challenges of small scale amendments, in making a determination of compliance, consideration must be given to the plan amendment as a whole and whether the plan amendment furthers the intent of the statute. (§163.3187(5)(d), F.S.)
• Concurrent zoning. The provisions of former §163.3184(3)(e), F.S., allowing the concurrent enactment of necessary zoning changes with plan amendment adoption, are moved, with minor amendments, to subsection 163.3184(12).
• Effectiveness of plan amendments in Areas of Critical State Concern. The provisions of former §163.3184(14), F.S., stating an plan amendment applicable to a designated area of critical state concern will not be effective until a final order is issued finding the plan “in compliance,” are moved, with minor amendments, to subsection (13).
• Subsection 163.3187(4) preserves the requirement that comprehensive plans may only be amended in such a way as to preserve the internal consistency of the plan. Because this provision is now under the small amendments section, rather than the general plan amendment section it was previously, it is not clear if the admonition only applies to small scale amendments or to all plan amendments.
• The provisions of former §163.3184(15)(c) and (d), F.S., addressing sign-in forms at the transmittal and adoption hearings, are deleted.
• The provisions of former §163.3184(15)(e), F.S., requiring plan amendments that change the actual list of allowable uses to be noticed in the same manner as an amendment to a land development regulations ordinance that does the same, are deleted.
• The provisions of former §163.3184(17), (18), and (19), F.S., addressing community vision and urban boundary plan amendments, urban infill and redevelopment plan amendments, and housing incentive strategy plan amendments, respectively, are deleted.
• The provisions of former §163.3187(4), F.S., requiring transmittal of copies of all plan amendments to the state land planning agency for the purpose of keeping the state files up to date, are deleted.
• The provisions of former §163.3187(6), F.S., addressing plan amendments relative to evaluation and appraisal reports, are deleted.
• The provisions of previous §163.3187(1)(d)-(q), F.S., addressing various exceptions to the limit on the frequency of adoption, are deleted.

2011 Revisions to Florida’s Planning/Development Regulation Acts

NOTE: See the Summary of 2012 Florida Legislative Changes Related to Land Development Regulations article for information on 2012 legislative changes.

Governor Scott signed House Bill 7207 on June 2, 2011, which is the bill that makes the largest number of changes to Florida’s growth management statutes (and administrative rules). This bill, with several others, makes the broadest and most significant changes to Florida’s growth management/planning/land development statutes seen in over twenty-five years.

Click this link – HB 7207 enrolled– for a PDF copy of House Bill 7207 and here – Chapter 2011-139 Laws of Florida – for the official Laws of Florida version. Be warned – they are long and may take a while to load.

Other bills also make changes to chapters 163 and 380, F.S., the two major planning/development regulation chapters. These other bills are:

• HB 0639 (This is a PDF of the law – Laws of Florida 2011-189 (HB 639).) 
• HB 0879 (This is a PDF of the law – Laws of Florida 2011-223 (HB 879).)
• SB 0944 (This is a PDF of the law – 2011-4.)
• SB 1204 (This is a PDF of the law 2011-34.)
• SB 2156 (This is a PDF of the law – Chapter 2011-142 Laws of Florida) This is the government reorganization bill that shifts around different state agency functions (including growth management).

The bills also include other provisions that have nothing to do with chapters 163 or 380, so you may need to do some wading to find what you are looking for.

I have written an overall summary review of some of the major changes to the growth management laws and individual reviews of the sections of Part II of chapter 163 with major changes. Click the links below for the review articles:

• Overall summary of some of the major changes to the Florida growth management statutes
• Public schools interlocal agreements
• Planning innovations
• Requirements for Florida comprehensive plans
• Concurrency
• Process for review and adoption of plan amendments
• Evaluation and appraisal review article
• Sector plans article
• Rural Land Stewardship Area article
• Other, nonstatute, changes made by HB 7207

This is a list of the sections of Part II of chapter 163, F.S., with the status of the sections under the legislative changes and related review articles available.

• 163.2511 – Unchanged
• 163.2514 – Unchanged
• 163.2517 – Minor changes
• 163.2520 – Unchanged
• 163.2523 – Unchanged
• 163.3161 – Short title; intent and purpose. See article on Intent and Purposes
• 163.3162 – Minor changes
• 163.3164 Definitions. See article Definitions from Florida Statutes Relevant to LDRs
• 163.3167 Scope of act. See article on Intent and Purposes
• 163.3168     Planning Innovations. See the Planning Innovations article
• 163.3171 – Minor changes
• 163.3174 – Minor changes
• 163.3175 – Minor changes
• 163.3177 Required and optional elements of comprehensive plan; studies and surveys. See the Requirements for Florida comprehensive plans article
• 163.31771 – Minor changes
• 163.31777 Public schools interlocal agreement. See article
• 163.3178 – Minor changes
• 163.3179 – Unchanged
• 163.3180 Concurrency. See the Concurrency article
• 163.31801 – Part reenacted, without changes
• 163.31802 – Part reenacted, without changes
• 163.3181 – Unchanged
• 163.3182 Transportation concurrency backlogs. See the Concurrency article
• 163.3184 Process for adoption of comprehensive plan or plan amendment. – See the Process for review and adoption of plan amendments article
• 163.3187 Amendment of adopted comprehensive plan – See the Process for review and adoption of plan amendments article
• 163.3189 – Deleted
• 163.3191 Evaluation and appraisal of comprehensive plan – See the Evaluation and appraisal review article
• 163.3194 – Unchanged
• 163.3197 – Unchanged
• 163.3201 – Unchanged
• 163.3202 – Part reenacted, without changes
• 163.3204 – Unchanged
• 163.3208 – Unchanged
• 163.3209 – Unchanged
• 163.3211 – Unchanged
• 163.3213 – Unchanged
• 163.3215 – Unchanged
• 163.3217 – Minor changes
• 163.3220 – Minor changes
• 163.3221 – Minor changes
• 163.3223 – Unchanged
• 163.3225 – Unchanged
• 163.3227 – Unchanged.
• 163.3229 – Minor changes
• 163.3231 – Unchanged
• 163.3233 – Unchanged
• 163.3235 – Minor changes
• 163.3237 – Unchanged
• 163.3239 – Minor changes
• 163.3241 – Unchanged
• 163.3243 – Minor changes
• 163.3245  Sector plans – See the Sector plans article
• 163.3246 – Minor changes
• 163.32465 – Deleted
• 163.3247 – Minor changes
• 163.3248     Rural land stewardship areas – See the Rural Land Stewardship Area article