LWV Action Alert: Stop this Developer Giveaway

SB 1080 bill will harm Manatee County's ability to regain impact fees, paid by developers, that are appropriate for the roads, utilities, safety services, etc required for new developments. It makes approvals for new developments almost automatic.

The League of Women Voters - Manatee County urges you to immediately contact your State Senator and tell them NO on SB 1080.  It is a destructive bill that essentially mandates sprawl while simultaneously removing the local mechanism to fund it. 

Every email and phone call makes a difference.  Thank you for standing up for smart growth, local decision-making and Florida’s future!

Local State Senators:

Senator Jim Boyd (Most of Manatee County and part of Hillsborough County)

• https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/S20
• (941) 742-6445                      

Senator Joe Gruters (Part of Manatee County and Sarasota County)             

• https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/S22
• (941) 378-6309

Background

Senate bill 1118 (SB 1118) was working its way through the current Florida legislative session. This bill takes aim at smart growth and local decision-making. It is sponsored by a State Senator who is a developer in Central Florida.

On April 15, due to some headwinds in committee hearings, the language in SB 1118 was moved by the Senator to SB 1080 at its final committee stop. It was passed by this committee by an 18-4 vote, with the four nays a bipartisan group.

What SB 1080 will do is:

• Strip local control by forcing administrative approval of massive development in "agricultural enclaves” and “infill residential” areas, regardless of local zoning or comp plans.
• Override voter-supported rural protections by forcing counties to treat land near urban services districts as if it were inside them, even when set aside for conservation or agriculture.
• Weaken citizen input by eliminating pubic hearings for many development proposals - shutting residents out of decisions that impact their communities.
• Favor developers over communities by requiring a super-majority vote to approve stronger protections for natural lands, while making it easier to approve new developments.
• Encourage fiscally irresponsible growth leading to more taxpayer costs for roads, utilities and public services.
• Require “extraordinary” impact fees to be approved unanimously by a Board of County Commissioners, so only one commissioner is needed to stop fee increases, and any extraordinary increase must be phased in. Counties that have not increased impact fees in the past 7 years must phase-in increases.

SB 1080 removes all local control of growth and forces the residents of counties and municipalities to pay for it.

The next stop for SB 1080 is the Senate floor. While there is no date scheduled, it is imminent as the legislative session is scheduled to end May 2.