The bill CS/CS/HB 579 amends various sections of Florida Statutes to streamline the land use and development process, particularly focusing on zoning applications and development permits. It requires counties and municipalities to provide clear written specifications for the minimum information needed in zoning applications and establishes specific timeframes for processing these applications—120 days for those not requiring a quasi-judicial or public hearing, and 180 days for those that do. If municipalities fail to meet these deadlines, they must issue refunds to applicants. The bill also introduces the definition of "substantive change" regarding application modifications, restarts the review timeframe if such changes are made, and mandates that municipalities provide written findings for their decisions.

Additionally, the bill clarifies the governance and financial responsibilities associated with recreational covenants in residential communities, including the introduction of amenity dues that can only be increased by more than 10% with majority approval from parcel owners. It requires contracts for the sale of parcels subject to recreational covenants to include a disclosure summary about amenity dues and outlines the rights of parcel owners regarding access to recreational facilities. The bill also modifies the liability of first mortgagees and associations concerning unpaid assessments, specifying that first mortgagees are only liable for assessments accrued during the 12 months prior to acquisition or one percent of the original mortgage debt, provided they joined the association in the foreclosure action. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 579 Filed: 125.022, 166.033
H 579 c1: 125.022, 166.033
H 579 c2: 125.022, 166.033, 553.80, 720.302, 720.3086, 336.125, 558.002, 617.0725, 718.116, 720.3085