St. Augustine hears overview of dozens of Florida bills affecting land use, ADUs and property-tax rules

City Attorney Lopez told the St. Augustine City Commission on March 10 that a broad set of bills filed this legislative session could substantially change how the city regulates land use, housing and local revenue.

"I can kind of give highlights of the most important bills that would affect and perhaps that's a poor choice of words bills that are important for local governments," Lopez said as she outlined several "buckets" of proposals from Tallahassee.

Lopez said the largest bundle amends the Live Local Act, allowing developers who set aside a large share of units as affordable to build to higher densities and heights and to avoid many local review requirements. She said one commonly proposed incentive would grant maximum density and other waivers if approximately 40% of a project’s units are reserved as affordable for 30 years. That package also contains provisions to limit local review of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), extend permitting shot clocks for local review and create potential exposures to lawsuits and attorney-fee awards for cities that deny qualifying projects.

Commissioners voiced concern about the loss of local control. "Restrictions on cities is one of my number one concerns," Commissioner Springfield said. Commissioner DePritter and others said they support the idea of more small, affordable units but worry ADUs will instead become short‑term rentals in a high‑tourism market if the city cannot regulate where and how ADUs are used.

Lopez also flagged two bills (SB 634 and HB 401) that she said could create a new category sometimes called "single‑family hybrid housing," which may let lawmakers distinguish owner‑occupied homes from investor‑held properties and treat them differently. She described a separate large set of proposals altering ad valorem tax policy, including bills to increase homestead exemptions (one bill cited raising the homestead exemption to $75,000 and another to expand exemptions to broader classes) and even a study to evaluate abolishing property taxes entirely.

Lopez pointed to a bill affecting community redevelopment authorities (CRAs) that would cap or sunset CRAs at a statewide date (she indicated 2045 as the statutory drop‑dead date mentioned in materials), noting a city‑managed CRA schedule should be monitored closely. She also singled out the Safe Waterways Act proposals (listed in the packet as HB 73 and SB 156) that would increase monitoring for impaired recreational waters and require notice signage when bacterial counts are high.

Commissioners asked staff for more analysis. Assistant City Manager Meredith Bridal and finance staff were scheduled to model the revenue impacts of tax‑related bills if they advance, and Lopez said staff will continue tracking and bundling related measures for the commission’s review. Lopez did not recommend a formal vote; the presentation was informational.

Why it matters: if the Live Local Act amendments and ADU rules become law, St. Augustine could see denser development in some neighborhoods with reduced local review and fewer tools to limit short‑term rental conversions. Proposed property‑tax changes could materially reduce city revenue if enacted, requiring offsetting service or tax changes.

Next steps: staff will return with targeted analysis of the bills that most directly affect city revenues, zoning and permitting; commissioners asked staff to identify potential local responses and legal exposures.