The Florida legislature passed numerous bills over the last several years, giving property owners the right to obtain two-year extensions for certain types of development permits simply by sending a letter to the permitting agency by a specific deadline. This year the Florida legislature passed CS/HB 7023, which contains provisions very similar to the bills previously passed. This new two-year extension is somewhat limited in its applicability, but presents an opportunity for projects that may have missed past extensions or were recently approved.
The statutory extension applies to those enumerated permits, including local government-issued development orders and building permits as well as permits issued by the Department of Environmental Protection, with an expiration date between January 1, 2014 and January 1, 2016. It is in addition to any existing permit extensions, provided that the total permit extension time does not exceed a total of four years. For example, if you used a previously enacted bill to extend the expiration of a permit by a total of four years, then you will not be able to apply for a further extension.
In order to exercise the right to a permit extension under CS/HB 7023, the property owner must give written notice to the authorizing agency by no later than December 31, 2014. The letter must identify the specific permit or authorization for which the extension is for and the anticipated timeframe for the permit or authorization.
It is important to act quickly due to the impending deadline. Those who are eligible should review all of their existing permits to see if an extension is authorized and begin making the required notifications to the appropriate agencies.
If you would like to take advantage of the filing extension and wish to discuss your options prior to conducting notifications, contact Blake Bringgold at 813.899.6059 or [email protected].
