This bill amends Florida Statutes to establish a process for certifying certain parcels of land as agricultural enclaves. It allows landowners to apply for certification, requiring local governments to provide a written report on the application within 30 days and to hold a public hearing to approve or deny the certification within another 30 days. If the local government does not act within 90 days, the parcel is automatically certified. The bill mandates that if an application is denied, the local government must provide a written decision with findings of fact, and the applicant can seek judicial review. Additionally, it allows certified agricultural enclaves to submit development plans for single-family housing, which must be treated as conforming uses, and prohibits local governments from imposing more burdensome regulations on these enclaves compared to other applications.

The bill also revises the definition of "agricultural enclave" to include specific criteria regarding ownership, continuous agricultural use, and surrounding development. It deletes previous provisions related to amendments to local government comprehensive plans and introduces new requirements for local governments to treat agricultural enclaves as if they are within urban service districts. The amendments to the relevant statutes will expire on January 1, 2028, reverting to the previous text, while the act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
S 686 Filed: 163.3162, 163.3164