The City of Tavares Planning & Zoning Advisory Board on a vote approved ordinance 2025-08 to amend the city's land development regulations so certain final plats and replats may be approved administratively rather than by city council.

City planner Anarkas Frias told the board the revisions implement amendments to Florida Statute 177.071 and revise Chapter 4 (section 4-22) and Chapter 16 (section 16-31) of the city's land development regulations, including replacing Form 16-13. Frias said the changes "will allow for administrative approval of plats and replats where appropriate in a manner consistent with applicable Florida law." Staff recommended the board forward the ordinance with a recommendation of approval.

The ordinance replaces the previous certificate block on the final plat so that the city administrator or a designee signs and the city clerk attests, rather than requiring city council approval. Board members asked staff to make the text consistent throughout the ordinance by replacing the broader phrase "administrative authority" with "city administrator or his designee" in multiple subsections; staff agreed to that amendment. Board discussion focused on ensuring the administrator's designee would be bound by the same standards and that final-plat review remains a check to confirm that development matches preliminary plans.

The board made a motion, moved by Carrie (board member), to approve the amendments as amended; the motion carried. Staff confirmed the draft had been reviewed for legal sufficiency before the hearing.

The change applies only to the final-plat step in the development process; planners told the board that larger design and engineering decisions are handled earlier (preliminary plat and construction-plan stages) and that any material change after preliminary approval would still require the appropriate review steps. The amended language also clarifies that the city administrator acts "on behalf of the City of Tavares" when attesting to the certificate on the face of the plat.

Board members and staff said the amendments are intended to streamline ministerial approvals required by state statute while preserving technical checks for engineering, stormwater and environmental compliance during earlier permitting stages.