This bill amends sections 125.022 and 166.033 of the Florida Statutes to establish that application fees for development permits must reasonably relate to the direct and indirect costs associated with the review and processing of applications. These fees are required to be published on the respective county or municipality's fee schedule and cannot be based on a percentage of construction costs, site costs, or project valuation. Additionally, the bill introduces new requirements for local government comprehensive plans and land development regulations under section 163.3194, mandating the inclusion of factors for assessing the compatibility of residential uses and the incorporation of objective design standards to mitigate potential incompatibility.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that local government staff must provide specific reasons for recommending the denial of applications based on compatibility grounds and cannot deny applications if the applicant has proposed adequate mitigation measures. Denials must include detailed explanations of incompatibility areas and any considered mitigation measures. The bill also outlines exceptions to these requirements, such as for applications within different future land use categories or historic districts designated before January 1, 2026. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
S 208 Filed: 212.055