The City of Pensacola Planning Board approved amendments to the Land Development Code July 8, 2025, implementing changes required by Florida Senate Bill 784 that streamline subdivision plat review and make final plat approvals administrative rather than actions of the planning board or city council.

City staff told the board that SB 784 amends Florida Statute 177.071 to require administrative review and establish timelines for plat and replat approvals; staff’s draft amendments remove planning board and city council approval steps and assign administrative authority for plat review to the Public Works and Engineering Department.

Board members raised concerns that the state-level change would reduce opportunities for public input and local discretionary comment. Multiple members — including Leslie Odom (city surveyor) and Pia Goldsmith (assistant city attorney, who provided legal advice) — confirmed that the legislature established a baseline of administrative approval but that local governments retain the ability to adopt additional local procedures so long as they do not conflict with the statute’s minimum requirements.

After extended discussion, the planning board voted unanimously to recommend the Land Development Code amendments, but the board appended two requests for City Council consideration: that council explore mechanisms to maintain public input at the preliminary-plat stage (for example, allowing preliminary plats to be presented as a nonbinding discussion item to collect public comment that staff would forward to the city engineer) and that council consider a public-notice requirement such as posting a sign on the property when an administrative plat application is filed.

Why it matters: SB 784, effective July 1, 2025, requires local governments to process plats administratively, reducing the procedural steps that previously brought plats before planning boards and councils. The change aims to speed approval timelines, but planning board members said it narrows formal public opportunities to comment and seek adjustments from applicants.

Key details discussed in the meeting: Staff said internal technical review continues — including review by the city surveyor, planning, fire, public works, ECUA, Pensacola Energy and utilities — and that the city already provides one-stop development review meetings for applicants. Staff estimated a typical internal comment turnaround of about 10 working days (up to about 14 business days in some cases). The board discussed options to retain public engagement without contravening state law, including a voluntary preliminary-plat discussion before the planning board (no action taken by the board), written public notices and property signage when plats are submitted.

What the board decided: The planning board voted unanimously to approve the draft LDC amendments that implement SB 784 and to forward the ordinance package to City Council along with the board’s requests that council consider (1) ways to preserve meaningful public input at the preliminary-plat stage and (2) adoption of a property-sign public-notice requirement. The board’s action is advisory; City Council may accept, modify or reject the recommendation.