Deltona designates planning director to approve plats under new state law; city attorney briefs commission on SB 180 and pending pre‑suit notice

The Deltona City Commission unanimously approved Resolution 2025-71 on Monday, designating the planning and development services director as the administrative official responsible for approval of plats and replats in accordance with Florida law. The resolution, responsive to Senate Bill 784, passed on a 7-0 verbal vote.

City Attorney Sevilla read the resolution into the record, explaining that SB 784 requires certain plats and replats to be administratively approved by a designated local official or employee and that the planning and development services director was already designated for similar administrative approvals in the city's land development code.

Commissioner Santiago moved the resolution and Vice Mayor Harriot seconded. After a brief public-comment opportunity with no substantive opposition recorded, the commission voted yes on all seven recorded voices.

In a separate attorney briefing the city attorney presented a memorandum dated June 29, 2025 outlining the impacts of Senate Bill 180. The memo covered changes to local emergency powers, transparency and reporting obligations, storm‑recovery permitting, state preemption of certain land‑use actions, and recommended compliance steps such as staff training, revising emergency procedures, and reviewing ordinances enacted since Aug. 1, 2024.

Sevilla told commissioners the city received a pre‑suit notice on June 27 from counsel Rebecca Roden on behalf of Howland Station Condo Developers LLC concerning properties on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard commonly known as Howland Station. He said the notice relates to the city's "live local" ordinance passed on second reading in December 2024 and that the 14‑day statutory clock for certain SB 180 challenges has begun to run.

Commissioners authorized two investigatory actions. First, by a 5-2 vote the commission gave consensus direction for the city attorney to reach out to other municipalities, the Florida League of Cities and outside counsel, and report back on potential coordinated legal responses to SB 180. Second, the commission agreed to schedule a closed attorney‑client (shade) meeting on the Howland Station litigation; the commission set timing and accepted that outside counsel may appear remotely.

City staff said they would place the pre‑suit notice and related materials on the next regular meeting agenda for fuller discussion. The city attorney indicated staff will evaluate ordinances enacted since Aug. 1, 2024 for potential conflict with SB 180 and implement recommended compliance measures.