Bilzin Sumberg's Government Relations & Land Development Group is keeping its finger on the pulse of recent legislation that may affect you. If you have a current permit or development order which is scheduled to expire between January 1, 2014 and January 1, 2016, you may be affected by the following update.

House Bill 7023 was passed by both houses at the end of session, which contains a provision that may affect the developer community. Section 46 includes a two-year extension of development orders and building permits issued by local governments. The two-year extension also applies to certain permits issued by the Department of Environmental Protection or by water management districts. Importantly, this provision potentially reaches back to expired permits or approvals and applies to permits or development orders, including buildout dates, set to expire between January 1, 2014 and January 1, 2016.

Holders of permits or other authorizations must submit written notification to the authorizing agency by December 31, 2014, identifying the specific authorization to be extended and the anticipated timeframe for acting on the authorized development order or permit.

Extensions granted under this section, as well as Chapter 2009-96, 2010-147, 2011-139, and 2012-205 may not exceed 4 years in total. Specific development of regional impact development order extensions granted pursuant to Section 380.06(19)(c)2, Florida Statutes, are not eligible to be further extended under this bill.