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City staff withdraws proposed congregate-living and short-term rental regulations; will refile with changes after state law
Summary
Growth management staff withdrew an ordinance to reorganize congregate-living uses and add short-term rental registration, citing state preemption and new state law (Senate Bill 954); staff expects to refile with a registration process and fee and to meet a state deadline for recovery-residence accommodations.
City of Ocala growth management staff withdrew a proposed ordinance on July 14 that would have reorganized rules for congregate-living facilities and added regulations for short-term rental residences and addiction-receiving facilities. Jeff (growth management director) and planner Emily Johnson told the Planning and Zoning Commission staff will re-advertise the proposal after making revisions and working through statutory constraints.
Emily Johnson summarized the planned changes: staff proposed consolidating several uses under a new “congregate living facilities” category — including community residential homes, recovery residences, rooming houses, and residential treatment facilities — largely as a relabeling and reorganization of existing uses. The draft also would have created two named uses: short-term rental residences (allowed where residential uses are permitted) and addiction-receiving facilities (acute inpatient treatment facilities), which staff proposed allowing by-right in institutional districts and by special exception in office-park zoning similar to hospital rules.
Johnson said most changes are organizational and that legally existing facilities that were previously permitted would be recognized and allowed to continue. However, city staff also flagged state preemption that limits local regulatory authority — particularly on short-term rentals — and noted that Senate Bill 954, which took effect July 1, requires local governments to adopt ordinances providing reasonable accommodations to recovery residences that have completed a voluntary certification through the Florida Association of Recovery Residences (FARR). The legislation also sets out a waiver process; Johnson said the city must adopt a conforming ordinance by Jan. 1, 2026.
Jeff and Johnson told commissioners staff will withdraw the current advertisement and return with a revised ordinance, including a registration process and fee for short-term rentals and language that reflects the state law’s timeline and accommodations for certified recovery residences. Jeff said staff intends to restart the process at the next round of hearings and expects the revised draft to proceed to the commission for recommendation to city council.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about nonconforming uses, how voluntary certification interacts with local processes, and enforcement limits. Jeff and Johnson emphasized that state preemption constrains what the city can require for many of these uses; they said special exceptions and registration are among the limited tools available locally. The commission did not take action because staff withdrew the request.
