The Florida Senate

¹373.4141  Permits; processing.--

(1)  Within 30 days after receipt of an application for a permit under this part, the department or the water management district shall review the application and shall request submittal of all additional information the department or the water management district is permitted by law to require. If the applicant believes any request for additional information is not authorized by law or rule, the applicant may request a hearing pursuant to s. 120.57 Within 30 days after receipt of such additional information, the department or water management district shall review it and may request only that information needed to clarify such additional information or to answer new questions raised by or directly related to such additional information. If the applicant believes the request of the department or water management district for such additional information is not authorized by law or rule, the department or water management district, at the applicant's request, shall proceed to process the permit application.

(2)  A permit shall be approved or denied within 90 days after receipt of the original application, the last item of timely requested additional material, or the applicant's written request to begin processing the permit application.

(3)  Processing of applications for permits for affordable housing projects shall be expedited to a greater degree than other projects.

History.--s. 4, ch. 96-370; s. 1, ch. 2002-160.

¹Note.--Section 14, ch. 2009-96, provides that:

"(1)  Except as provided in subsection (4), and in recognition of 2009 real estate market conditions, any permit issued by the Department of Environmental Protection or a water management district pursuant to part IV of chapter 373, Florida Statutes, that has an expiration date of September 1, 2008, through January 1, 2012, is extended and renewed for a period of 2 years following its date of expiration. This extension includes any local government-issued development order or building permit. The 2-year extension also applies to build out dates including any build out date extension previously granted under s. 380.06(19)(c), Florida Statutes. This section shall not be construed to prohibit conversion from the construction phase to the operation phase upon completion of construction.

"(2)  The commencement and completion dates for any required mitigation associated with a phased construction project shall be extended such that mitigation takes place in the same timeframe relative to the phase as originally permitted.

"(3)  The holder of a valid permit or other authorization that is eligible for the 2-year extension shall notify the authorizing agency in writing no later than December 31, 2009, identifying the specific authorization for which the holder intends to use the extension and the anticipated timeframe for acting on the authorization.

"(4)  The extension provided for in subsection (1) does not apply to:

"(a)  A permit or other authorization under any programmatic or regional general permit issued by the Army Corps of Engineers.

"(b)  A permit or other authorization held by an owner or operator determined to be in significant noncompliance with the conditions of the permit or authorization as established through the issuance of a warning letter or notice of violation, the initiation of formal enforcement, or other equivalent action by the authorizing agency.

"(c)  A permit or other authorization, if granted an extension, that would delay or prevent compliance with a court order.

"(5)  Permits extended under this section shall continue to be governed by rules in effect at the time the permit was issued, except when it can be demonstrated that the rules in effect at the time the permit was issued would create an immediate threat to public safety or health. This provision shall apply to any modification of the plans, terms, and conditions of the permit that lessens the environmental impact, except that any such modification shall not extend the time limit beyond 2 additional years.

"(6)  Nothing in this section shall impair the authority of a county or municipality to require the owner of a property, that has notified the county or municipality of the owner's intention to receive the extension of time granted by this section, to maintain and secure the property in a safe and sanitary condition in compliance with applicable laws and ordinances."