Planning board recommends LDC text change to implement Florida’s certified recovery‑residence law

The Planning Board recommended a text amendment to the Land Development Code on Nov. 20 to ensure the city’s procedures accommodate certified recovery residences in compliance with Florida Senate Bill 954 and Florida Statute 397.487.

Planning staff said SB 954 requires localities to adopt procedures for review and approval of certified recovery residences by Jan. 1, 2026. The staff proposal adds language to the reasonable‑accommodation section so the reasonable‑accommodation process will apply to certified recovery residences and, where the city’s procedures conflict with statute, the statute will control.

Staff described a certified recovery residence as, by statute, “a recovery residence that holds a valid certificate of compliance and is actively managed by a certified recovery residence administrator.” The planning division and legal counsel said they are preparing a more comprehensive LDC text amendment that will address community residences more broadly, propose spacing requirements and ensure compliance with the Fair Housing Act to avoid clustering in lower‑income neighborhoods.

Board members asked whether a certified recovery residence could locate next to a single‑family home and raised concerns about concentrating such facilities in lower‑socioeconomic neighborhoods. Staff replied those questions will be addressed in the consultant study and the fuller amendment to be presented at next month’s meeting. The board voted to recommend the interim text amendment to the City Commission so the city meets the state’s January deadline.