The Florida Senate

A. Section 14, ch. 2009-96, provides that:

“(1) Except as provided in subsection (4), and in recognition of 2009 real estate market conditions, any permit issued by the Department of Environmental Protection or a water management district pursuant to part IV of chapter 373, Florida Statutes, that has an expiration date of September 1, 2008, through January 1, 2012, is extended and renewed for a period of 2 years following its date of expiration. This extension includes any local government-issued development order or building permit. The 2-year extension also applies to build out dates including any build out date extension previously granted under s. 380.06(19)(c), Florida Statutes. This section shall not be construed to prohibit conversion from the construction phase to the operation phase upon completion of construction.

“(2) The commencement and completion dates for any required mitigation associated with a phased construction project shall be extended such that mitigation takes place in the same timeframe relative to the phase as originally permitted.

“(3) The holder of a valid permit or other authorization that is eligible for the 2-year extension shall notify the authorizing agency in writing no later than December 31, 2009, identifying the specific authorization for which the holder intends to use the extension and the anticipated timeframe for acting on the authorization.

“(4) The extension provided for in subsection (1) does not apply to:

“(a) A permit or other authorization under any programmatic or regional general permit issued by the Army Corps of Engineers.

“(b) A permit or other authorization held by an owner or operator determined to be in significant noncompliance with the conditions of the permit or authorization as established through the issuance of a warning letter or notice of violation, the initiation of formal enforcement, or other equivalent action by the authorizing agency.

“(c) A permit or other authorization, if granted an extension, that would delay or prevent compliance with a court order.

“(5) Permits extended under this section shall continue to be governed by rules in effect at the time the permit was issued, except when it can be demonstrated that the rules in effect at the time the permit was issued would create an immediate threat to public safety or health. This provision shall apply to any modification of the plans, terms, and conditions of the permit that lessens the environmental impact, except that any such modification shall not extend the time limit beyond 2 additional years.

“(6) Nothing in this section shall impair the authority of a county or municipality to require the owner of a property, that has notified the county or municipality of the owner’s intention to receive the extension of time granted by this section, to maintain and secure the property in a safe and sanitary condition in compliance with applicable laws and ordinances.”

B. Section 46, ch. 2010-147, provides that:

“(1) Except as provided in subsection (4), a development order issued by a local government, a building permit, and any permit issued by the Department of Environmental Protection or by a water management district pursuant to part IV of chapter 373, Florida Statutes, which has an expiration date from September 1, 2008, through January 1, 2012, is extended and renewed for a period of 2 years after its previously scheduled date of expiration. This 2-year extension also applies to buildout dates, including any extension of a buildout date that was previously granted under s. 380.06(19)(c), Florida Statutes. This section does not prohibit conversion from the construction phase to the operation phase upon completion of construction. This extension is in addition to the 2-year permit extension provided under section 14 of chapter 2009-96, Laws of Florida.

“(2) The commencement and completion dates for any required mitigation associated with a phased construction project are extended so that mitigation takes place in the same timeframe relative to the phase as originally permitted.

“(3) The holder of a valid permit or other authorization that is eligible for the 2-year extension must notify the authorizing agency in writing by December 31, 2010, identifying the specific authorization for which the holder intends to use the extension and the anticipated timeframe for acting on the authorization.

“(4) The extension provided for in subsection (1) does not apply to:

“(a) A permit or other authorization under any programmatic or regional general permit issued by the Army Corps of Engineers.

“(b) A permit or other authorization held by an owner or operator determined to be in significant noncompliance with the conditions of the permit or authorization as established through the issuance of a warning letter or notice of violation, the initiation of formal enforcement, or other equivalent action by the authorizing agency.

“(c) A permit or other authorization, if granted an extension that would delay or prevent compliance with a court order.

“(5) Permits extended under this section shall continue to be governed by the rules in effect at the time the permit was issued, except if it is demonstrated that the rules in effect at the time the permit was issued would create an immediate threat to public safety or health. This provision applies to any modification of the plans, terms, and conditions of the permit which lessens the environmental impact, except that any such modification does not extend the time limit beyond 2 additional years.

“(6) This section does not impair the authority of a county or municipality to require the owner of a property that has notified the county or municipality of the owner’s intent to receive the extension of time granted pursuant to this section to maintain and secure the property in a safe and sanitary condition in compliance with applicable laws and ordinances.”

C. Section 47, ch. 2010-147, provides that:

“(1) The Legislature hereby reauthorizes:

“(a) Any exemption granted for any project for which an application for development approval has been approved or filed pursuant to s. 380.06, Florida Statutes, or for which a complete development application or rescission request has been approved or is pending, and the application or rescission process is continuing in good faith, within a development that is located within an area that qualified for an exemption under s. 380.06, Florida Statutes, as amended by chapter 2009-96, Laws of Florida.

“(b) Any 2-year extension authorized and timely applied for pursuant to section 14 of chapter 2009-96, Laws of Florida.

“(c) Any amendment to a local comprehensive plan adopted pursuant to s. 163.3184, Florida Statutes, as amended by chapter 2009-96, Laws of Florida, and in effect pursuant to s. 163.3189, Florida Statutes, which authorizes and implements a transportation concurrency exception area pursuant to s. 163.3180, Florida Statutes, as amended by chapter 2009-96, Laws of Florida.

“(2) Subsection (1) is intended to be remedial in nature and to reenact provisions of existing law. This section shall apply retroactively to all actions specified in subsection (1) and therefore to any such actions lawfully undertaken in accordance with chapter 2009-96, Laws of Florida.”