Development permits and orders; development preapplication consulting services program required.

(1)(a) By January 1, 2027, each county with a population of 75,000 or greater shall create and implement a program for the purpose of making available development preapplication consultation services at an applicant’s request. This subsection may not be construed to affect or require the modification of a county program that makes available the same or substantially similar development preapplication consulting services to an applicant for a development permit or development order, including a program that requires mandatory preapplication meetings for specified types of developments, if such county program exists on or before July 1, 2026.

1. The preapplication consultation services authorized in this subsection are limited to those applications for permits as defined in s. 163.3169.

2. The county may use a qualified contractor or a qualified contractor firm as defined in s. 163.3169 to fulfill the preapplication consultation services required in this subsection.

(b) A development preapplication consultation services program must, at minimum, provide all of the following:

1. The minimum information that must be submitted in an application for a permit as defined in s. 163.3169.

2. The review and precertification of completeness of the application and all related documents, including site engineering plans or site plans or their functional equivalent, or plats, and their compliance with all relevant existing land development regulations.

(c) If an applicant chooses to use the development preapplication consultation services program, the county, upon receipt of the proposed development application, shall confirm receipt, verify completeness, and issue a written notification to the applicant indicating that all required information has been submitted, or specify in writing with particularity any deficiencies in the application, within 5 business days. If the application is deficient, the applicant has 30 days to address the deficiencies by submitting the required additional information. If the county fails to issue the written notification within 5 business days, the application is deemed complete by operation of law without conditions, and the county must process the application as required in paragraph (d).

(d)1. Upon receipt of the applicant’s completed application, the county must process the application for final action and must approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application within 45 days after submission of a complete application, except the county may not review again those plans specified in subparagraph (b)2.

2. If the county fails to take final action to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application within 45 days, the applicant shall notify the county in writing. If the county fails to respond within 10 days, the application is deemed approved by operation of law without conditions, and the applicant is entitled to proceed with the proposed activity or development as though the county had granted unconditional approval. Approval pursuant to this subparagraph may not be construed to relieve the applicant of the obligation to comply with all other applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances.