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Planning board approves ordinance making development director administrative authority for final plats
Summary
The Escambia County Planning Board voted to recommend an ordinance that designates the county’s Director of Development Services as the administrative authority to approve final plats, a change required by state law (Senate Bill 784, 2025).
The Escambia County Planning Board on Sept. 9 voted to recommend an ordinance amending the county land development code to designate the Director of Development Services as the administrative authority for approval of final plats and replats, pursuant to state legislation (Senate Bill 784, 2025).
County staff told the board the change is required by new state law and replaces the former process under which the Board of County Commissioners served as the final authority for plat sign-off. “This is a fairly straightforward mandated law,” a staff member said during the public hearing, describing the change as administrative because there is “not a lot of discretion involved.”
The ordinance will align the county code with the statute and follows a Board of County Commissioners resolution adopted Aug. 7 that designated the county’s plan official to carry out the change. Staff said the administrative authority will follow existing review steps used by engineering, surveying, and other subject-matter staff, and that final plat approval will occur after those technical checks are complete.
Staff described a procedural requirement the ordinance implements: within seven business days of receiving a final plat, the Director of Development Services must issue a written acknowledgement identifying any deficiencies. If a submission is determined incomplete or noncompliant, the administrative authority will issue a written denial stating the reasons. The staff member characterized those steps as set forth in statute and appropriate for administrative handling.
One member of the public, Chris Curb of Flood Defenders, spoke against the shift from the board to an administrative official, calling the state law an overreach and saying it weakens local home-rule authority. “I think it’s an overreach of our state legislation to basically give recording final plats to your planning director,” Curb said. He said he planned to raise the issue with the county’s legislative delegation.
Board members moved and seconded the recommendation; the board voted to forward the ordinance to the Board of County Commissioners. The board’s vote was taken by voice/hand raise during the meeting; no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.
The county attorney or staff did not identify an ordinance number in the hearing; the ordinance text and the BCC transmittal will be considered when the item goes to the Board of County Commissioners.
