Opposition grows to Florida law designed to improve disaster recovery
By Mitch Perry | Florida Phoenix
August 8, 2025 at 4:27 PM EDT
A nonprofit smart growth advocacy organization, 1000 Friends of Florida, is the latest entity calling for the Florida Legislature to repeal portions of a new law designed to expedite post-disaster rebuilding.
The measure (SB 180), sponsored by Pinellas County Republican Nick DiCeglie, initially was hailed as support for homeowners in providing clear, streamlined permitting requirements to ensure families can make the repairs they need without being hit with higher tax bills.
The bill also increased disaster management planning, emergency resource coordination, financial transparency, and reporting across state and local government disaster management bureaucracies.
However, it’s since become the most controversial new measure signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis this year. The problem? Language barring new local land-use or development regulations considered “restrictive or burdensome,” even if they are completely unrelated to storm recovery.
And the law covers every part of the state, starting retroactively from August of 2024 and going up to October 2027. That’s listed in Section 28 of the law, which says that the new land use laws applies to each county listed in the Federal Disaster Declaration for Hurricanes Debby, Helene, or Milton “and each municipality within one of those counties” last year.
The law specifically says that “any person” can serve a local government with notification of intent to sue on belief the local government has violated the law. The local government then has 14 days to correct any problem. If the government chooses to repeal the restriction, any case would be dropped. If it declines to repeal, that person can go ahead and file a lawsuit.
“This legislative overreach ties the hands of communities striving to address urgent environmental, growth management, and disaster resiliency challenges,” said 1000 Friends of Florida president Paul Owens in a press release on Thursday.
“By undermining local authority, SB 180 puts Floridians at greater risk from flooding, pollution, and unchecked sprawl. We urge lawmakers to act swiftly to repeal these harmful provisions in 2026.”
The law is already having an effect far from its stated original intent to help local residents harmed by a storm. Last week, the Florida Department of Commerce notified Orange County that its new Vision 2050 comprehensive plan — eight years in the making — violated state law and was “null and void.”
That Vision 2050 plan largely updated the county’s guidelines to discourage suburban sprawl and the development of still-untouched rural areas, touching on issues like affordable housing, transportation, and environmental protections.
James D. Stanbury with the Florida Commerce Department’s Bureau of Community Planning and Growth cited language establishing that counties and cities listed in the federal disaster declaration for one of last year’s hurricanes “may not” propose or adopt “more restrictive or burdensome amendments to its comprehensive plan.”
Orange County officials say that they intend to meet with department officials soon to “gain a clearer understanding of their concerns and to receive guidance on next steps.”
Meanwhile, other local governments are scrambling to adapt.
On Tuesday, the Manatee County Commission unanimously authorized staff to collaborate with government regulation staff of Pasco County on submitting a legislative proposal that might “fix” the problems the law has created for local governments, the Bradenton Times reports.
In Volusia County, council members this week voted to request changes for next year’s legislative session.
Deltona City Commissioner Dori Howington doesn’t want to wait until next year to have Tallahassee work on the issue.
“What’s happening is. we’re seeing lawyers lining up to basically attack ordinances that developers have not liked seeing implemented, and as a result, the lawsuits are stacking up against us,” she said. “Anything that you do regarding land use, building codes — anything can be challenged.”
Speaking with members of the St. Petersburg City Council last month, DiCeglie, who lives in a beach community in Pinellas County, spoke about his intentions with the legislation. He was motivated, he said, by the way some local governments came up short in helping residents following last fall’s hurricanes.
“Make sure that the residents know what that plan is when it comes to permitting,” he said.
“What that place is when it comes to storm debris collection. When that plan was not in place [last year], and folks were looking and knocking on the door at City Hall and nobody is answering the door. Nobody is answering the phone calls,” he continued. The fact that local governments are not answering the call of their taxpayer to me was a complete disgrace and an ultimate failure.”
DiCeglie acknowledged that the regulation language was “very broad.”
Fort Lauderdale attorney Jamie Cole has reached out to several local governments about a potential lawsuit challenging some provisions of the law. Although he was unavailable for comment, an associate with his law firm told the Phoenix, “We are hearing from many cities and counties from all over the state, concerned about the impacts of SB 180 and considering whether to join in a lawsuit.”
The Deltona City Commission hasn’t taken a vote yet on whether to join that coalition, Howington said, but likely will consider it soon.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.
The measure (SB 180), sponsored by Pinellas County Republican Nick DiCeglie, initially was hailed as support for homeowners in providing clear, streamlined permitting requirements to ensure families can make the repairs they need without being hit with higher tax bills.
The bill also increased disaster management planning, emergency resource coordination, financial transparency, and reporting across state and local government disaster management bureaucracies.
However, it’s since become the most controversial new measure signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis this year. The problem? Language barring new local land-use or development regulations considered “restrictive or burdensome,” even if they are completely unrelated to storm recovery.
And the law covers every part of the state, starting retroactively from August of 2024 and going up to October 2027. That’s listed in Section 28 of the law, which says that the new land use laws applies to each county listed in the Federal Disaster Declaration for Hurricanes Debby, Helene, or Milton “and each municipality within one of those counties” last year.
The law specifically says that “any person” can serve a local government with notification of intent to sue on belief the local government has violated the law. The local government then has 14 days to correct any problem. If the government chooses to repeal the restriction, any case would be dropped. If it declines to repeal, that person can go ahead and file a lawsuit.
“This legislative overreach ties the hands of communities striving to address urgent environmental, growth management, and disaster resiliency challenges,” said 1000 Friends of Florida president Paul Owens in a press release on Thursday.
“By undermining local authority, SB 180 puts Floridians at greater risk from flooding, pollution, and unchecked sprawl. We urge lawmakers to act swiftly to repeal these harmful provisions in 2026.”
The law is already having an effect far from its stated original intent to help local residents harmed by a storm. Last week, the Florida Department of Commerce notified Orange County that its new Vision 2050 comprehensive plan — eight years in the making — violated state law and was “null and void.”
That Vision 2050 plan largely updated the county’s guidelines to discourage suburban sprawl and the development of still-untouched rural areas, touching on issues like affordable housing, transportation, and environmental protections.
James D. Stanbury with the Florida Commerce Department’s Bureau of Community Planning and Growth cited language establishing that counties and cities listed in the federal disaster declaration for one of last year’s hurricanes “may not” propose or adopt “more restrictive or burdensome amendments to its comprehensive plan.”
Orange County officials say that they intend to meet with department officials soon to “gain a clearer understanding of their concerns and to receive guidance on next steps.”
Meanwhile, other local governments are scrambling to adapt.
On Tuesday, the Manatee County Commission unanimously authorized staff to collaborate with government regulation staff of Pasco County on submitting a legislative proposal that might “fix” the problems the law has created for local governments, the Bradenton Times reports.
In Volusia County, council members this week voted to request changes for next year’s legislative session.
Deltona City Commissioner Dori Howington doesn’t want to wait until next year to have Tallahassee work on the issue.
“What’s happening is. we’re seeing lawyers lining up to basically attack ordinances that developers have not liked seeing implemented, and as a result, the lawsuits are stacking up against us,” she said. “Anything that you do regarding land use, building codes — anything can be challenged.”
Speaking with members of the St. Petersburg City Council last month, DiCeglie, who lives in a beach community in Pinellas County, spoke about his intentions with the legislation. He was motivated, he said, by the way some local governments came up short in helping residents following last fall’s hurricanes.
“Make sure that the residents know what that plan is when it comes to permitting,” he said.
“What that place is when it comes to storm debris collection. When that plan was not in place [last year], and folks were looking and knocking on the door at City Hall and nobody is answering the door. Nobody is answering the phone calls,” he continued. The fact that local governments are not answering the call of their taxpayer to me was a complete disgrace and an ultimate failure.”
DiCeglie acknowledged that the regulation language was “very broad.”
Fort Lauderdale attorney Jamie Cole has reached out to several local governments about a potential lawsuit challenging some provisions of the law. Although he was unavailable for comment, an associate with his law firm told the Phoenix, “We are hearing from many cities and counties from all over the state, concerned about the impacts of SB 180 and considering whether to join in a lawsuit.”
The Deltona City Commission hasn’t taken a vote yet on whether to join that coalition, Howington said, but likely will consider it soon.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.