The Florida Senate

373.427  Concurrent permit review.--

(1)  The department, in consultation with the water management districts, may adopt procedural rules requiring concurrent application submittal and establishing a concurrent review procedure for any activity regulated under this part that also requires any authorization, permit, waiver, variance, or approval described in paragraphs (a)-(d). The rules must address concurrent review of applications under this part and any one or more of the authorizations, permits, waivers, variances, and approvals described in paragraphs (a)-(d). Applicants that propose such activities must submit, as part of the permit application under this part, all information necessary to satisfy the requirements for:

(a)  Proprietary authorization under chapter 253 or chapter 258 to use submerged lands owned by the board of trustees;

(b)  Coastal construction permits under s. 161.041;

(c)  Coastal construction control line permits under s. 161.053; and

(d)  Waiver or variance of the setback requirements under s. 161.052

The rules adopted under this section may also require submittal of such information as is necessary to determine whether the proposed activity will occur on submerged lands owned by the board of trustees. Notwithstanding s. 120.60, an application under this part is not complete and the timeframes for license approval or denial shall not commence until all information required by rules adopted under this section is received. For applications concurrently reviewed under this section, the agency that conducts the concurrent application review shall issue a notice of consolidated intent to grant or deny the applicable authorizations, permits, waivers, variances, and approvals. The issuance of the notice of consolidated intent to grant or deny is deemed in compliance with s. 120.60 timeframes for license approval or denial on the concurrently processed applications for any required permit, waiver, variance, or approval under this chapter or chapter 161. Failure to satisfy these timeframes shall not result in approval by default of the application to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands. If an administrative proceeding pursuant to ss. 120.569 and 120.57 is timely requested, the case shall be conducted as a single consolidated administrative proceeding on all such concurrently processed applications. Once the rules adopted pursuant to this section become effective, they shall establish the concurrent review procedure for applications submitted to both the department and the water management districts, including those applications for categories of activities requiring authorization to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands for which the board of trustees has not delegated authority to take final agency action without action by the board of trustees.

(2)  In addition to the provisions set forth in subsection (1) and notwithstanding s. 120.60, the procedures established in this subsection shall apply to concurrently reviewed applications which request proprietary authorization to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands for activities for which there has been no delegation of authority to take final agency action without action by the board of trustees.

(a)  Unless waived by the applicant, within 90 days of receipt of a complete application, the department or water management district shall issue a recommended consolidated intent to grant or deny on all of the concurrently reviewed applications, and shall submit the recommended consolidated intent to the board of trustees for its consideration of the application to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands. The recommended consolidated intent shall not constitute a point of entry to request a hearing pursuant to ss. 120.569 and 120.57 Unless waived by the applicant, the board of trustees shall consider the board of trustees-owned submerged lands portion of the recommended consolidated intent at its next regularly scheduled meeting for which notice may be properly given, and the board of trustees shall determine whether the application to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands should be granted, granted with modifications, or denied. The board of trustees shall then direct the department or water management district to issue a notice of intent to grant or deny the application to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands. Unless waived by the applicant, within 14 days following the action by the board of trustees, the department or water management district shall issue a notice of consolidated intent to grant or deny on the application to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands, in accordance with the directions of the board of trustees, together with all of the concurrently reviewed applications.

(b)  The timely issuance of a recommended consolidated intent to grant or deny as set forth in paragraph (a) is deemed in compliance with s. 120.60 timeframes for license approval or denial on the concurrently processed applications for any required permit, waiver, variance, or approval under this chapter or chapter 161. Failure to satisfy these timeframes shall not result in approval by default of the application to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands.

(c)  Any petition for an administrative hearing pursuant to ss. 120.569 and 120.57 must be filed within 14 days of the notice of consolidated intent to grant or deny. Unless waived by the applicant, within 60 days after the recommended order is submitted, or at the next regularly scheduled meeting for which notice may be properly given, whichever is latest, the board of trustees shall determine what action to take on any recommended order issued under ss. 120.569 and 120.57 on the application to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands, and shall direct the department or water management district on what action to take in the final order concerning the application to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands. The department or water management district shall determine what action to take on any recommended order issued under ss. 120.569 and 120.57 regarding any concurrently processed permits, waivers, variances, or approvals required by this chapter or chapter 161. The department or water management district shall then take final agency action by entering a consolidated final order addressing each of the concurrently reviewed authorizations, permits, waivers, or approvals. Failure to satisfy these timeframes shall not result in approval by default of the application to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands. Any provisions relating to authorization to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands shall be as directed by the board of trustees. Issuance of the consolidated final order within 45 days after receipt of the direction of the board of trustees regarding the application to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands is deemed in compliance with the timeframes for issuance of final orders under s. 120.60 The final order shall be subject to the provisions of s. 373.4275

(3)  After the effective date of rules adopted under this section, neither the department nor a water management district may issue a permit under this part unless the requirements for issuance of any additional required authorizations, permits, waivers, variances, and approvals set forth in this section which are subject to concurrent review are also satisfied.

(4)  When both an environmental resource permit or dredge and fill permit and a waiver, or variance set forth in paragraphs (1)(b)-(d) are granted in a consolidated order, these permits shall be consolidated into a single permit to be known as a joint coastal permit.

(5)  Any application fee required under s. 373.109 for a permit under this part is in addition to any fees required for any of the concurrently reviewed applications for authorizations, permits, waivers, variances, or approvals set forth in subsection (1) or subsection (2). The application fees must be allocated, deposited, and used as provided in s. 373.109

(6)  Whenever a concurrently processed application includes an application to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands, any noticing requirements of s. 253.115 shall be met, in addition to those in s. 373.413

(7)  When a water management district acts pursuant to a delegation under s. 253.002, any person instituting an administrative or judicial proceeding regarding such action shall serve a copy of the petition or complaint on the board of trustees. The department or the Department of Legal Affairs, acting on behalf of the board of trustees, may intervene in any such proceeding.

History.--s. 501, ch. 94-356; s. 102, ch. 96-410.