If the Florida Legislature is serious about wanting to jumpstart Florida’s growth economy and create jobs, there must be an overhaul to Florida’s growth management laws.
Sadly, at this time there is no growth to manage. There are simply too many barriers, burdensome rules, and high costs to doing business in Florida. The Florida Home Builders Association supports necessary improvements to school and transportation concurrency, clarity that new construction does not have the burden of paying for existing infrastructure backlog, and streamlining of the plan amendment process.
Week of April 27 – Lawmakers made favorable changes to the state’s growth management laws. Two of the most significant improvements were made in transportation and school concurrency. FHBA thanks Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton for sponsoring SB 360. FHBA also thanks Rep. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, and Rep. Dave Murzin, R-Pensacola, for their leadership on this issue in the House.
Week of April 20 – The House accepted the Florida Senate’s bill, SB 360, attached several good industry-related amendments to it. It now goes back to the Senate for passage. Of importance to FHBA members, SB 360 addresses transportation concurrency. It helps to recharge Florida’s economy by streamlining the growth management process while maintaining safeguards for environment protection. It’s a commonsense approach to creating incentives that promote responsible development in urban areas, thereby reducing sprawl. It also includes some helpful language re: school concurrency. For more details on this measure, read: http://www.fhba.com/docs/LegOverviewGrowthManagementBills.pdf.
Week of March 30 – An important growth management bill dealing mainly with transportation concurrency, SB 360 by Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, passed the full Senate.
Week of March 23 – Three growth management bills that are at the heart of the Florida Home Builders Association’s 2009 Legislative Priorities saw positive action. SB 360 by Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, dealing mainly with transportation concurrency, was heard by the full Senate. It is expected to be up for a final vote the week of March 30th. SB 2148 dealing with FHBA’s recommended school concurrency changes, passed out of the Senate Community Affairs Committee. SB 2148 is also sponsored by Sen. Bennett. Proposed Committee Bill EDCA 02, which is beginning to match up with SB 360 on transportation concurrency, moved out of the House Economic and Community Affairs Council. It is now poised to move to the House floor and may be heard as early as the week of March 30th.
Week of March 16 – SB 360 passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The bill is now in proper position to go to the Senate floor. It is expected to be heard during the week of March 23.
Week of March 9 – The Florida House Military & Local Affairs Committee passed a Proposed Committee Bill that removes Financially Feasible Capital Improvement Plans from law. Additionally, the legislation would remove the penalty associated with school concurrency inter local agreements.