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Land Use and Development Regulations

This bill proposes to ban local initiatives or referendums regarding land regulation. The bill designates certain rural areas as  “agricultural enclaves” and would allow developers to bypass local rules and restrictions on development, which could result in high-density development in sensitive natural areas. The bill also proposes to weaken local governments’ ability to manage growth by requiring a supermajority vote to pass restrictions to bypass rural boundary rules and just go through an administrative process to develop there, instead of having to get local government approval, which would require public hearings where residents can give their input.

Understanding the Legislation

Affecting Change

CS/SB 1118

Senator McClain

Bill Summary: STC is opposed to CS/SB 1118 – Land Use and Development Regulations. If passed, this bill would prohibit a county from requiring an applicant to take certain actions as a condition of processing a development permit or development order; delete language authorizing the owner of an agricultural enclave to apply for a comprehensive plan amendment; revise the expedited state review process for the adoption of comprehensive plan amendments; require an approving agency to administer plat submittals and take specified actions within a certain timeframe; and provide requirements for certain recreational covenants recorded on or after a certain date, etc.

The Results

Bill Status

SB 1118 was approved 5-3 in the Senate Community Affairs Committee. Its remaining two stops are the Regulated Industries Committee and the Rules Committee.

Find Out What Happened