Developments of regional impact.

(1) DEFINITION.—The term “development of regional impact,” as used in this section, means any development that, because of its character, magnitude, or location, would have a substantial effect upon the health, safety, or welfare of citizens of more than one county.

(2) STATEWIDE GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS.—The statewide guidelines and standards and the exemptions specified in s. 380.0651 and the statewide guidelines and standards adopted by the Administration Commission and codified in chapter 28-24, Florida Administrative Code, must be used in determining whether particular developments are subject to the requirements of subsection (12). The statewide guidelines and standards previously adopted by the Administration Commission and approved by the Legislature shall remain in effect unless superseded or repealed by statute. The statewide guidelines and standards shall be applied as follows:

(a) A development that is below 100 percent of all numerical thresholds in the statewide guidelines and standards is not subject to subsection (12).

(b) A development that is at or above 100 percent of any numerical threshold in the statewide guidelines and standards is subject to subsection (12).

(3) BINDING LETTER.—

(a) Any binding letter previously issued to a developer by the state land planning agency as to whether his or her proposed development must undergo development-of-regional-impact review, whether his or her rights have vested pursuant to subsection (8), or whether a proposed substantial change to a development of regional impact concerning which rights had previously vested pursuant to subsection (8) would divest such rights, remains valid unless it expired on or before April 6, 2018.

(b) Upon a request by the developer, a binding letter of interpretation regarding which rights had previously vested in a development of regional impact may be amended by the local government of jurisdiction, based on standards and procedures in the adopted local comprehensive plan or the adopted local land development code, to reflect a change to the plan of development and modification of vested rights, provided that any such amendment to a binding letter of vested rights must be consistent with s. 163.3167(5). Review of a request for an amendment to a binding letter of vested rights may not include a review of the impacts created by previously vested portions of the development.

(c) Every binding letter determining that a proposed development is not a development of regional impact, but not including binding letters of vested rights or of modification of vested rights, shall expire and become void unless the plan of development has been substantially commenced within:

1. Three years from October 1, 1985, for binding letters issued prior to the effective date of this act; or

2. Three years from the date of issuance of binding letters issued on or after October 1, 1985.

(d) The expiration date of a binding letter begins to run after final disposition of all administrative and judicial appeals of the binding letter and may be extended by mutual agreement of the state land planning agency, the local government of jurisdiction, and the developer.

(e) An informal determination by the state land planning agency, in the form of a clearance letter as to whether a development is required to undergo development-of-regional-impact review or whether the amount of development that remains to be built in an approved development of regional impact, remains valid unless it expired on or before April 6, 2018.

(4) LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEVELOPMENT ORDER.—

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of any adopted local comprehensive plan or adopted local government land development regulation to the contrary, an amendment to a development order for an approved development of regional impact adopted pursuant to subsection (7) may not amend to an earlier date the date until the local government agrees that the approved development of regional impact will not be subject to downzoning, unit density reduction, or intensity reduction, unless the local government can demonstrate that substantial changes in the conditions underlying the approval of the development order have occurred or the development order was based on substantially inaccurate information provided by the developer or that the change is clearly established by local government to be essential to the public health, safety, or welfare. The date established pursuant to this paragraph may not be sooner than the buildout date of the project.

(b)1. A local government may not include as a development order condition for a development of regional impact any requirement that a developer contribute or pay for land acquisition or construction or expansion of public facilities or portions thereof unless the local government has enacted a local ordinance which requires other development not subject to this section to contribute its proportionate share of the funds, land, or public facilities necessary to accommodate any impacts having a rational nexus to the proposed development, and the need to construct new facilities or add to the present system of public facilities must be reasonably attributable to the proposed development.

2. Selection of a contractor or design professional for any aspect of construction or design related to the construction or expansion of a public facility by a nongovernmental developer which is undertaken as a condition of a development order to mitigate the impacts reasonably attributable to the proposed development is not subject to competitive bidding or competitive negotiation.

(c) Notice of the adoption of an amendment to an adopted development order shall be recorded by the developer, in accordance with s. 28.222, with the clerk of the circuit court for each county in which the development is located. The notice shall include a legal description of the property covered by the order and shall state which unit of local government adopted the development order, the date of adoption, the date of adoption of any amendments to the development order, the location where the adopted order with any amendments may be examined, and that the development order constitutes a land development regulation applicable to the property. The recording of this notice does not constitute a lien, cloud, or encumbrance on real property, or actual or constructive notice of any such lien, cloud, or encumbrance. This paragraph applies only to developments initially approved under this section after July 1, 1980. If the local government of jurisdiction rescinds a development order for an approved development of regional impact pursuant to s. 380.115, the developer may record notice of the rescission.

(d) Any agreement entered into by the state land planning agency, the developer, and the local government with respect to an approved development of regional impact previously classified as essentially built out, or any other official determination that an approved development of regional impact is essentially built out, remains valid unless it expired on or before April 6, 2018, and may be amended pursuant to the processes adopted by the local government for amending development orders. Any such agreement or amendment may authorize the developer to exchange approved land uses, subject to demonstrating that the exchange will not increase impacts to public facilities. This paragraph applies to all such agreements and amendments effective on or after April 6, 2018.

(5) CREDITS AGAINST LOCAL IMPACT FEES.—

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of an adopted local comprehensive plan or adopted local government land development regulations to the contrary, the adoption of an amendment to a development order for an approved development of regional impact pursuant to subsection (7) does not diminish or otherwise alter any credits for a development order exaction or fee as against impact fees, mobility fees, or exactions when such credits are based upon the developer’s contribution of land or a public facility or the construction, expansion, or payment for land acquisition or construction or expansion of a public facility, or a portion thereof.

(b) If the local government imposes or increases an impact fee, mobility fee, or exaction by local ordinance after a development order has been issued, the developer may petition the local government, and the local government shall modify the affected provisions of the development order to give the developer credit for any contribution of land for a public facility, or construction, expansion, or contribution of funds for land acquisition or construction or expansion of a public facility, or a portion thereof, required by the development order toward an impact fee or exaction for the same need.

(c) Any capital contribution front-ending agreement entered into by a local government and a developer which is still in effect as of April 6, 2018, as part of a development-of-regional-impact development order to reimburse the developer, or the developer’s successor, for voluntary contributions paid in excess of his or her fair share remains valid.

(d) This subsection does not apply to internal, onsite facilities required by local regulations or to any offsite facilities to the extent that such facilities are necessary to provide safe and adequate services to the development.

(6) REPORTS.—Notwithstanding any condition in a development order for an approved development of regional impact, the developer is not required to submit an annual or a biennial report on the development of regional impact to the local government, the regional planning agency, the state land planning agency, and all affected permit agencies unless required to do so by the local government that has jurisdiction over the development. The penalty for failure to file such a required report is as prescribed by the local government.

(7) CHANGES.—

(a) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any development order, agreement, local comprehensive plan, or local land development regulation, any proposed change to a previously approved development of regional impact shall be reviewed by the local government based on the standards and procedures in its adopted local comprehensive plan and adopted local land development regulations, including, but not limited to, procedures for notice to the applicant and the public regarding the issuance of development orders. However, a change to a development of regional impact that has the effect of reducing the originally approved height, density, or intensity of the development must be reviewed by the local government based on the standards in the local comprehensive plan at the time the development was originally approved, and if the development would have been consistent with the comprehensive plan in effect when the development was originally approved, the local government may approve the change. If the revised development is approved, the developer may proceed as provided in s. 163.3167(5). For any proposed change to a previously approved development of regional impact, at least one public hearing must be held on the application for change, and any change must be approved by the local governing body before it becomes effective. The review must abide by any prior agreements or other actions vesting the laws and policies governing the development. Development within the previously approved development of regional impact may continue, as approved, during the review in portions of the development which are not directly affected by the proposed change.

(b) The local government shall either adopt an amendment to the development order that approves the application, with or without conditions, or deny the application for the proposed change. Any new conditions in the amendment to the development order issued by the local government may address only those impacts directly created by the proposed change, and must be consistent with s. 163.3180(5), the adopted comprehensive plan, and adopted land development regulations. Changes to a phase date, buildout date, expiration date, or termination date may also extend any required mitigation associated with a phased construction project so that mitigation takes place in the same timeframe relative to the impacts as approved.

(c) This section is not intended to alter or otherwise limit the extension, previously granted by statute, of a commencement, buildout, phase, termination, or expiration date in any development order for an approved development of regional impact and any corresponding modification of a related permit or agreement. Any such extension is not subject to review or modification in any future amendment to a development order pursuant to the adopted local comprehensive plan and adopted local land development regulations.

(8) VESTED RIGHTS.—Nothing in this section shall limit or modify the rights of any person to complete any development that was authorized by registration of a subdivision pursuant to former chapter 498, by recordation pursuant to local subdivision plat law, or by a building permit or other authorization to commence development on which there has been reliance and a change of position and which registration or recordation was accomplished, or which permit or authorization was issued, prior to July 1, 1973. If a developer has, by his or her actions in reliance on prior regulations, obtained vested or other legal rights that in law would have prevented a local government from changing those regulations in a way adverse to the developer’s interests, nothing in this chapter authorizes any governmental agency to abridge those rights.

(a) For the purpose of determining the vesting of rights under this subsection, approval pursuant to local subdivision plat law, ordinances, or regulations of a subdivision plat by formal vote of a county or municipal governmental body having jurisdiction after August 1, 1967, and prior to July 1, 1973, is sufficient to vest all property rights for the purposes of this subsection; and no action in reliance on, or change of position concerning, such local governmental approval is required for vesting to take place. Anyone claiming vested rights under this paragraph must notify the department in writing by January 1, 1986. Such notification shall include information adequate to document the rights established by this subsection. When such notification requirements are met, in order for the vested rights authorized pursuant to this paragraph to remain valid after June 30, 1990, development of the vested plan must be commenced prior to that date upon the property that the state land planning agency has determined to have acquired vested rights following the notification or in a binding letter of interpretation. When the notification requirements have not been met, the vested rights authorized by this paragraph shall expire June 30, 1986, unless development commenced prior to that date.

(b) For the purpose of this act, the conveyance of, or the agreement to convey, property to the county, state, or local government as a prerequisite to zoning change approval shall be construed as an act of reliance to vest rights as determined under this subsection, provided such zoning change is actually granted by such government.

(9) VALIDITY OF COMPREHENSIVE APPLICATION.—Any agreement previously entered into by a developer, a regional planning agency, and a local government regarding a development project that includes two or more developments of regional impact and was the subject of a comprehensive development-of-regional-impact application remains valid unless it expired on or before April 6, 2018.

(10) AREAWIDE DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL IMPACT.—Any approval of an authorized developer for an areawide development of regional impact remains valid unless it expired on or before April 6, 2018.

(11) ABANDONMENT OF DEVELOPMENTS OF REGIONAL IMPACT.—

(a) There is hereby established a process to abandon a development of regional impact and its associated development orders. A development of regional impact and its associated development orders may be proposed to be abandoned by the owner or developer. The local government in whose jurisdiction the development of regional impact is located also may propose to abandon the development of regional impact, provided that the local government gives individual written notice to each development-of-regional-impact owner and developer of record, and provided that no such owner or developer objects in writing to the local government before or at the public hearing pertaining to abandonment of the development of regional impact. If there is no existing development within the development of regional impact at the time of abandonment and no development within the development of regional impact is proposed by the owner or developer after such abandonment, an abandonment order may not require the owner or developer to contribute any land, funds, or public facilities as a condition of such abandonment order. The local government must file notice of the abandonment pursuant to s. 28.222 with the clerk of the circuit court for each county in which the development of regional impact is located. Abandonment will be deemed to have occurred upon the recording of the notice. Any decision by a local government concerning the abandonment of a development of regional impact is subject to an appeal pursuant to s. 380.07. The issues in any such appeal must be confined to whether the provisions of this subsection have been satisfied.

(b) If requested by the owner, developer, or local government, the development-of-regional-impact development order must be abandoned by the local government having jurisdiction upon a showing that all required mitigation related to the amount of development which existed on the date of abandonment has been completed or will be completed under an existing permit or equivalent authorization issued by a governmental agency as defined in s. 380.031(6), provided such permit or authorization is subject to enforcement through administrative or judicial remedies. All development following abandonment must be fully consistent with the current comprehensive plan and applicable zoning.

(c) A development order for abandonment of an approved development of regional impact may be amended by a local government pursuant to subsection (7), provided that the amendment does not reduce any mitigation previously required as a condition of abandonment, unless the developer demonstrates that changes to the development no longer will result in impacts that necessitated the mitigation.

(12) PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS.—

(a) A proposed development that exceeds the statewide guidelines and standards specified in s. 380.0651 and is not otherwise exempt pursuant to s. 380.0651 must be approved by a local government pursuant to s. 163.3184(4) in lieu of proceeding in accordance with this section. However, if the proposed development is consistent with the comprehensive plan as provided in s. 163.3194(3)(b), the development is not required to undergo review pursuant to s. 163.3184(4) or this section.

(b) This subsection does not apply to:

1. Amendments to a development order governing an existing development of regional impact.

2. An application for development approval filed with a concurrent plan amendment application pending as of May 14, 2015, if the applicant elects to have the application reviewed pursuant to this section as it existed on that date. The election shall be in writing and filed with the affected local government, regional planning council, and state land planning agency before December 31, 2018.