|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
1000 Friends of Florida filed a lawsuit in Leon County Circuit Court on Oct. 7 challenging the constitutionality of Senate Bill 180 (2025), a sweeping state law that arbitrarily freezes in place local comprehensive planning across Florida.
The complaint, filed on behalf of 1000 Friends and Orange County resident Rachel Hildebrand by Broward County lawyer Richard Grosso, seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, asking the Court to declare that SB 180 violates multiple provisions of the Florida Constitution.
The complaint alleges that SB 180 violates the single-subject rule by bundling unrelated policy changes into an emergency management bill, is arbitrary and capricious because its prohibition on improved planning measures on environmental, public facility and other issues is triggered by random unrelated hurricane events, is unconstitutionally vague by broadly prohibiting undefined “more restrictive or burdensome” planning measures, and is inconsistent with the Florida Constitution’s “natural resources” clause by blocking local actions needed to protect air, water, and sensitive lands.
“SB 180 goes far beyond disaster recovery. It undermines communities of the basic ability to plan responsibly for growth, infrastructure, and the environment,” said Paul Owens, president of 1000 Friends of Florida. “Voters and local officials across the state are being silenced just when Florida most needs smart, resilient planning.”
“As both a board member of 1000 Friends of Florida and an organic farmer, I see firsthand how reckless development threatens clean water, wildlife, and the land that sustains our communities,” said Bryon White, board member of 1000 Friends of Florida. “SB 180 ties the hands of local governments and organizations like ours, making it harder to protect Florida’s natural resources and quality of life. We can’t stand by while the state denies the rights of communities working for a sustainable future.
So far, more than a dozen local governments across Florida have received letters from the state’s land planning agency, the Department of Commerce, declaring their proposed planning or land-use policy changes are “null and void” under SB 180. In many cases, those local updates were designed to strengthen stormwater management, protect natural resources, or prevent urban sprawl. In one of the most troubling examples, voter-approved comprehensive plan changes are now in limbo under SB 180.
“We’ve done everything right to protect our rural community, but the state’s actions are stripping away those safeguards,” said Rachel Hildebrand, an East Orange County resident and co-plaintiff in the case whose neighborhood lies within the county’s Rural Boundary. “This fight is about ensuring our local voice is heard and that our children can inherit the safe, natural environment we’ve worked so hard to preserve.”
Among other provisions, SB 180 bars local governments from adopting or enforcing any “more restrictive or burdensome” planning rules for three years after the 2024 hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton — until October 1, 2027, and for a one-year period after future hurricanes make landfall — regardless of local impact, and grants broad standing and attorney-fee awards to challengers, tilting the playing field against communities.
The suit asks the court to declare SB 180 unconstitutional in whole or in part, and to enjoin the state from applying or enforcing it.
About 1000 Friends of Florida
Founded in 1986, 1000 Friends of Florida is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to saving special places, building better communities, and advocating for sustainable growth. The full complaint and additional information about SB 180 can be found online at https://1000fof.org/priorities/restorecommunityplanning/.
ABOUT US:
For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.
This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.
Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://communitynewspapers.com.
If you have any questions, feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com or Grant@communitynewspapers.com.
