Bonita Springs staff outline comprehensive-plan update, extend planning horizon to 20 years and note limits from SB 180

Bonita Springs City staff gave a short public briefing on the city's comprehensive-plan update and next steps, saying the work will extend the plan's long-range horizon to meet new state requirements and include public drafts and hearings in early 2026.

Margaret, who said she has worked on the city's comprehensive plan for about 10 to 11 years, described the plan as the city's long-term growth-management document that sets goals, objectives and policies to guide physical development and public investments. "The new legislation required a 10 and 20 year planning horizon, which means we need to look at any changes in demographics and the available land in that planning horizon," she said, framing the technical analysis staff will complete before drafting amendments.

Mike Figon, senior planner with the Community Development Department, said the process will use the Evaluation and Appraisal Review (EAR) required by the state and that the city completed its last EAR in March 2023 and processed associated amendments in March 2024. Figon confirmed the city posted plan material online and directed listeners to the plan on municode.com, and he supplied an email for public input: compplan2026@cityofbonitasprings.org.

Staff also warned of a statutory constraint: Florida Senate Bill 180 (2025) includes provisions intended to prevent local governments from adopting regulations that are more burdensome in the year following a hurricane. "For one year around a hurricane, local governments can't pass any requirements that are more burdensome," Margaret said. She added staff is working under that limit, which she said will be in effect at least until October 2027.

When a resident asked whether SB 180 limits post-hurricane permitting or would slow urgent repairs, Figon answered that the bill is aimed at restricting new local post-disaster regulations rather than changing existing permit thresholds. He also noted that federal requirements and FEMA guidance are often the primary determinants of post-disaster repair rules, citing the FEMA "50% rule" as an example of an existing threshold that can affect repair permitting.

Next steps, staff said, include a council meeting to discuss land development code priorities the next day, drafting comprehensive-plan and land development regulation updates through early 2026, a public meeting with draft documents for comment in early 2026, and subsequent council hearings. The meeting paused to allow time for emailed public comments or in-person speakers to appear; staff said they would reconvene if additional comments arrive.

Authorities and details mentioned during the briefing include the state-mandated Evaluation and Appraisal Review (EAR) process, references to Florida statutes that require plan consistency, Florida Senate Bill 180 (2025) as a constraint on post-disaster regulation, FEMA guidance affecting repair thresholds, and the plan document available via municode.com.