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Planning panel recommends code changes to accommodate certified recovery residences after new state law
Summary
To comply with 2025 state law (Senate Bill 954), the commission recommended amendments to Winter Haven’s land-development regulations to define and provide reasonable accommodation procedures for certified recovery residences and to add the use to the land-use table as a special or permitted use in specified districts.
Planning staff presented code amendments the city says are necessary to implement legislative changes from the 2025 session. Staff said Senate Bill 954 (effective July 1, 2025) revises Fla. Stat. §397.487 and requires local governments to provide reasonable accommodation for certified recovery residences by Jan. 1, 2026.
The proposed amendments add a definition for "certified recovery residences," move existing language in section 21-64 to a new location to accommodate the new text, require that applications for reasonable accommodation be reviewed and approved, approved with conditions, or denied with evidence-based reasons, and update the land-use table (table 21-32a) to list certified recovery residences as a special use in a range of residential and mixed-use zoning districts and as a permitted use in PI zoning.
Staff acknowledged the changes are largely a reorganization of existing code sections with the addition of the new use and recommended forwarding the amendments to the City Commission. No public comments were recorded; the commission recommended approval by voice vote.
Next steps: the recommendation will be forwarded to the City Commission for final action; staff will prepare final ordinance language and supporting materials.
