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CS/CS/CS/SB 686 — Agricultural Enclaves
by Rules Committee; Judiciary Committee; Community Affairs Committee; and Senator McClain
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Community Affairs Committee (CA)
The bill amends s.°163.3162, F.S., which regulates agricultural lands and practices, to replace the existing public hearing process for development within agricultural enclaves with a new process outlined in the bill. Agricultural enclaves are pockets of agricultural land that are mostly surrounded by development.
Under the bill, the owner of an agricultural enclave may apply for a certification confirming that the land is an agricultural enclave, subject to a public hearing and approval process. Upon certification, property owners may submit development plans for single-family residential housing consistent with the land use requirements of adjacent parcels. Local governments may not enact or enforce a law or regulation for an agricultural enclave that is more burdensome than for other types of applications for comparable uses or densities.
The bill revises the definition of “agricultural enclave” to clarify that they may include one or more parcels. It also includes additional criteria for determining whether a property may qualify as an agricultural enclave under state law and limits agricultural enclaves to lands within counties having a population of 1.75 million or less.
The bill’s provisions relating to agricultural enclaves expire January 1, 2028, at which time the text of those provisions will revert to the text as it existed on June 30, 2026.
If approved by the Governor, or allowed to become law without the Governor's signature, these provisions take effect on July 1, 2026.
Vote: Senate 34-2; House 90-20