This bill amends Florida Statutes to establish new regulations regarding solar facilities, particularly focusing on their decommissioning processes. It defines key terms such as "agricultural land" and "decommissioned," and emphasizes the intent that agricultural land used for solar facilities should be returned to its original state for agricultural use after the facility's life ends. The bill allows counties to adopt ordinances requiring proper decommissioning of solar facilities, presuming a facility has reached the end of its useful life under certain conditions, such as failure to produce power for 12 months or abandonment. It also permits counties to require financial assurance from solar facility owners to cover decommissioning costs and mandates regular updates on these costs.

Additionally, the bill removes previous provisions that classified solar facilities as permitted uses in agricultural land use categories and zoning districts, as well as the ability for counties to specify requirements for solar facilities. It also deletes an exemption for solar facility substations from local land development regulations, allowing local governments to enforce regulations on setbacks, landscaping, and other aesthetic standards. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 1304 Filed: 163.3205, 163.3208
S 1304 c1: 163.3205, 163.3208