The Town Commission of Oakland voted to adopt Resolution No. 2025-05, designating an administrative authority to receive, review and process plats and replats and naming an administrative official responsible for approving conditions or denying proposed plats as specified by state law.

The change implements provisions tied to Senate Bill 784 and the town's reading of state statutes that shift initial plat and replat approvals away from elected boards and toward an administrative review. "This resolution is, to fulfill the state requirements for senate bill 7 84," said a staff member who presented the item, adding that the administrative official "would be myself." The presenter said the town's engineer, surveyor, planning staff, public works department and town attorney would continue to review plans before the administrative official signs them.

Commissioners framed the resolution as an internal process change rather than a policy change to land-use standards: the administrative review will perform technical compliance checks that previously came before the commission or the planning and zoning board. The presenter said the shift "removes the commission and the planning and zoning board from the planning and replatting process, and it creates administrative authority and administrative official."

A motion to adopt Resolution No. 2025-05 was made and seconded and passed on a voice vote; the transcript records the vote as affirmative. The commission immediately moved on to a second resolution about emergency contacts.

Why it matters: moving plat sign-off to an administrative official shortens the public approvals pathway and concentrates technical sign-off within town staff. The presenter said multiple town departments and the town attorney will continue reviewing submissions before the administrative official signs them, preserving multi-department input while removing the item from the commission's docket.

What the resolution references: the presenter cited compliance with Senate Bill 784 and referred to "section 177.71 Florida statutes" in the meeting presentation; the commission listed the resolution as "Designation of administrative authority."