Skip to Navigation | Skip to Main Content | Skip to Site Map

MyFloridaHouse.gov | Mobile Site

Senate Tracker: Sign Up | Login

The Florida Senate

CS/CS/HB 1151 — Developments of Regional Impact

by Commerce Committee; Agriculture and Property Rights Subcommittee; Rep. La Rosa (CS/CS/SB 1244 by Appropriations Committee; Community Affairs Committee; and Senator Lee)

This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.

Prepared by: Community Affairs Committee (CA)

A Development of Regional Impact (DRI) is defined in s. 380.06, F.S., as “any development which, because of its character, magnitude, or location, would have a substantial effect upon the health, safety, or welfare of citizens of more than one county.” The DRI program was initially created in 1972 as an interim program intended to be replaced by comprehensive planning and permitting programs. The DRI program provided a lengthy and complicated review process for proposed projects that was largely duplicated by the successor comprehensive planning review process.

In 2015, the Florida Legislature eliminated the requirement that new large-scale developments be reviewed pursuant to the DRI process. Instead, the Legislature directed that proposed developments only need to comply with the requirements of the State Coordinated Review Process for the review of local government comprehensive plan amendments.

Generally, the bill eliminates many unnecessary DRI statutory requirements governing the application and approval of DRIs since the program no longer exists. Proposed changes to an existing DRI development order will be the responsibility of the local government in which the development is located.

Specifically, the bill:

  • Repeals obsolete language for the application and review of DRIs;

  • Changes the process for existing DRIs to amend a development order;

  • Retains current statewide guidelines and standards for determining when a development is subject to state coordinated review;

  • Updates reporting requirements;

  • Preserves certain unexpired letters, development orders, and agreements;

  • Ends all DRI appeals to the Administration Commission except decisions by local governments under the DRI abandonment process;

  • Repeals state land planning agency rules related to DRIs and Administration Commission rules related to aggregation of developments for the purpose of DRI review;

  • Repeals the Florida Quality Developments (FQD) program and requires FQD development orders to be replaced by local government development orders; and

  • Creates a definition of master development plan.

The Department of Economic Opportunity will incur less expenses related to the DRI process.

If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect upon becoming law.

Vote: Senate 36-0; House 110-1