Earlier today, State of Florida Governor Scott signed into law an omnibus Growth Management bill (SB 1216),  which continues the recent trend of reducing the role of state and regional agencies in the review of the effects of development. More specifically, the new law eliminates the State development of regional impact (DRI) review program created by the Legislature in 1972, a program that supporters of the SB 1216 characterized as duplicative and onerous.  Already existing DRIs (and comprehensive plan amendments related to these developments) will be governed under the State coordinated review process administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

The new law similarly authorizes local review processes for comprehensive plan amendments in a connected–city corridor review and provides a concurrency exemption for certain connected-city corridors.  Among other things, SB 1216 also significantly reduces the duties of the regional planning councils (and actually dissolves one such regional planning council); clarifies and updates the sector plan law; and provides relief to owners for financing of qualified improvements to property damaged by sinkhole activity.