Florida Senate - 2026 SB 354 By Senator McClain 9-00466A-26 2026354__ Page 1 of 11 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1

An act relating to blue ribbon projects; creating s. 2 163.3249, F.S.; providing a purpose and legislative 3 intent; defining terms; requiring that a development 4 project meet certain requirements to qualify as a blue 5 ribbon project; specifying maximum residential density 6 and nonresidential intensity permitted within the 7 development area of a blue ribbon project; requiring 8 that a specified percentage of the project’s 9 residential units meet certain requirements; 10 authorizing the development of the development area in 11 phases for a specified purpose; providing that 12 development rights and mitigation of project impacts 13 shall be vested for at least a certain period, which 14 may be extended under certain circumstances; requiring 15 that a blue ribbon project have a blue ribbon plan; 16 providing requirements for such plan; specifying that 17 a plan is not required to demonstrate certain need; 18 requiring that a project receive dollar-for-dollar 19 credits from a local government under certain 20 circumstances; specifying that a project may be 21 located on land with any future land use designation 22 or zoning designation; prohibiting the required 23 amendment of a comprehensive plan or a required 24 rezoning for approval of a project; authorizing a 25 landowner to apply to the local government for 26 approval of a project; requiring that a project that 27 meets certain requirements receive administrative 28 approval; limiting local government review of a 29

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 354 9-00466A-26 2026354__ Page 2 of 11 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. project; providing for the automatic approval of a 30 project under certain circumstances; authorizing 31 applicants to hire private companies to conduct plan 32 reviews and building inspections; requiring an 33 applicant to publish notice of an approved project in 34 a specified manner; requiring an applicant to record 35 the plan for an approved project in the public records 36 of the county in which the project property is 37 located; prohibiting an applicant from amending a 38 recorded plan without undergoing a specified review; 39 authorizing an applicant to appeal the denial of a 40 project application to the Department of Commerce in a 41 specified manner; authorizing a person whose 42 substantial interests are or may be affected by 43 approval of a project to file a petition with the 44 department requesting an administrative hearing in a 45 specified manner; providing requirements for such 46 petition; requiring the department to hold certain 47 hearings before issuing certain orders; requiring the 48 department to determine whether a project meets 49 certain requirements and issue a final order; 50 providing applicability; providing an effective date. 51 52 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 53 54

Section

Section 163.3249, Florida Statutes, is created 55 to read: 56 163.3249 Blue ribbon projects.— 57

(1) PURPOSE AND INTENT.—The purpose of this

section is to 58

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 354 9-00466A-26 2026354__ Page 3 of 11 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. ensure the appropriate use of important state resources and 59 facilities. It is the intent of the Legislature to accomplish 60 this goal by incentivizing large landowners in this state to be 61 good stewards of the natural environment while at the same time 62 promoting a more sustainable pattern of development.

The 63 Legislature intends to create blue ribbon projects, and to 64 provide a mechanism by which local governments shall implement 65 those projects within their boundaries, in order to promote the 66 goals of preserving natural areas, encouraging agricultural land 67 uses and rural land stewardship, protecting critical ecological 68 systems, expanding wildlife corridors, and providing more 69 compact mixed-use developments designed for long-term viability. 70

(2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term: 71 (a) “Applicant” means the owner of land on which a blue 72 ribbon project is proposed. 73 (b) “Blue ribbon plan” or “plan” means the plan required by 74 subsection (5). 75 (c) “Blue ribbon project” or “project” means a project that 76 meets the requirements of subsection (3). 77 (d) “Development area” means land that may be developed 78 with residential, commercial, industrial, or other uses. 79 (e) “Missing middle housing” means a range of for-sale and 80 for-rent housing types, including, but not limited to, duplexes, 81 triplexes, townhomes, small multifamily buildings, and small 82 detached single-family homes, that fill the gap between larger 83 single-family homes and larger apartment buildings.

Such housing 84 may be vertically and horizontally integrated. 85 (f) “New urban design” means a development design that 86 creates walkable, mixed-use, human-centered places. 87

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 354 9-00466A-26 2026354__ Page 4 of 11 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. (g) “Reserve area” means land that is set aside for 88 environmental conservation, wildlife corridors, wetland and 89 wildlife mitigation, productive agriculture and silviculture, 90 parks, recreational activities, utility sites, reservoirs and 91 lakes, or other similar types of open space. 92

(3) MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.—A development project must meet 93 all of the following requirements to qualify as a blue ribbon 94 project: 95 (

a) The project must contain a minimum of 10,000 acres of 96 land which are contiguous, as defined in s. 163.3163(3)(a), and 97 which are owned by the same person or by entities owned or 98 controlled by the same person. 99 (

b) At least 60 percent of the land contained in the 100 project must be reserve area. If any project boundary is 101 contiguous to state-owned environmental preservation land or the 102 Florida wildlife corridor, a portion of the project’s reserve 103 area must be located adjacent to the state-owned land or the 104 Florida wildlife corridor, as applicable. 105 (

c) Up to 40 percent of the land contained in the project 106 may be development area. The development area must meet all of 107 the following requirements: 108 1. Individual development areas within the project must be 109 designed to enhance walkability and mobility and must include a 110 mixture of land uses. 111 2. At least 10 percent of the development area must be 112 allocated to nonresidential land use. 113 3. A portion of the development area must be allocated to 114 uses intended to provide economic development and create high-115 wage jobs. The development area so allocated must be in a 116

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 354 9-00466A-26 2026354__ Page 5 of 11 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. location that is accessible to an interstate interchange, a 117 state road, a rail line, or an airport or other transportation 118 facility. 119 4. The development area must have a dense, walkable, mixed-120 use, human-centered development pattern that includes new urban 121 design, including, but not limited to, towns, villages, and 122 hamlets that have reserve area between them. 123 5. Types of residential units within the development area 124 must be varied and include single-family, multifamily, and 125 attached and detached residential units. 126

(4) DEVELOPMENT AREA DENSITIES AND INTENSITIES.— 127 (

a) A maximum residential density of 12 units per gross 128 acre, and a maximum nonresidential intensity of 85 percent 129 impervious surface ratio per gross acre, is permitted within the 130 development area, as measured in combination throughout all 131 phases of the project. 132 (

b) At least 20 percent of residential units within the 133 development area in each phase of the project must be a 134 combination of the following: 135 1. Affordable housing, with initial sale prices and ongoing 136 rents at or below 80 percent of adjusted gross income, as 137 defined in s. 420.602, for the county in which the development 138 area is located. 139 2. Missing middle housing. 140 3. Housing for people eligible for the Florida Hometown 141 Hero Program under s. 420.5096. 142 (

c) The development area may be developed in phases to 143 accommodate growth projections in the geographical area in which 144 the project is located. Development rights and mitigation of 145

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 354 9-00466A-26 2026354__ Page 6 of 11 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. project impacts shall be vested for at least 50 years. If the 146 applicant achieves development as defined in s. 380.04 of at 147 least 50 percent of the development area within 50 years after 148 the project’s date of initial public dedication of 149 infrastructure, the vested period must be extended for an 150 additional 25 years. 151

(5) BLUE RIBBON PLANS.—A blue ribbon project must have a 152 blue ribbon plan, which is the master development plan for the 153 project. Blue ribbon plans must include a document that 154 addresses the requirements of this

section and exhibits, 155 including maps, illustrations, and text supported by data and 156 analysis, that demonstrate compliance therewith. The plan must 157 include all of the following: 158 (

a) A long-term master development map that, at a minimum, 159 generally depicts the locations of reserve area and development 160 area throughout the project area. 161 (

b) Identification and analysis of necessary water supplies 162 and available sources of water, including water resource 163 development and water supply development projects, and water 164 conservation measures required to meet the projected demand from 165 each phase of the project. Water and wastewater facilities must 166 be provided in compliance with s. 163.3180. Such facilities may 167 be provided by the applicant, a local unit of special purpose 168 government, a special district, a local government, or the 169 state.

Local governments are encouraged to enter into public-170 private partnerships to accomplish water storage and other water 171 quality and capacity improvements within the boundaries of blue 172 ribbon projects pursuant to s. 373.4591. 173 (

c) Identification and analysis of the transportation 174

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 354 9-00466A-26 2026354__ Page 7 of 11 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. facilities and future transportation corridors necessary to 175 serve development area land uses in the master development plan, 176 including guidelines to be used to establish each modal 177 component intended to optimize mobility. Transportation 178 facilities must be provided in compliance with s. 163.3180. Such 179 facilities may be provided by the applicant, a local unit of 180 special purpose government, a special district, a local 181 government, or the state.

Internal roads must be designed in 182 accordance with the Department of Transportation’s traditional 183 neighborhood development guidelines provided in

chapter 19 of 184 the Manual of Uniform Minimum Standards for Design, Construction 185 and Maintenance for Streets and Highways, 2023 Edition. 186 (

d) Identification of other regionally significant public 187 facilities necessary to support the project’s permitted density 188 as provided in paragraph (4)(

a) for each phase of the project, 189 which facilities must include utilities, parks, and schools, and 190 policies providing the procedures to mitigate the impacts of the 191 project’s permitted density on public facilities. Public 192 facilities must be provided in compliance with s. 163.3180. Such 193 facilities may be provided by the applicant, a local unit of 194 special purpose government, a special district, a local 195 government, or the state. Local governments are encouraged to 196 enter into public-private partnerships pursuant to s. 255.065 to 197 provide qualifying public facilities within the boundaries of 198 blue ribbon projects. 199 (

e) Identification of regionally significant natural 200 resources within the reserve area based on the best available 201 data and policies, and provision of mechanisms to ensure the 202 perpetual protection or conservation of specific resources, 203

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 354 9-00466A-26 2026354__ Page 8 of 11 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. consistent with the overall conservation and development 204 strategy for the project area. 205 (

f) General principles and guidelines that do all of the 206 following: 207 1. Address the land uses within the development area and 208 reserve area, and the interrelationships between such areas. 209 2. Address the protection and, as appropriate, restoration 210 and management of reserve areas identified in the recorded blue 211 ribbon plan for permanent conservation and public use, which 212 must be phased in coordination with the phased development 213 within the development area as specified in the master 214 development plan. 215 3. Achieve a cleaner, healthier environment. 216 4. Limit urban sprawl. 217 5.

Provide a range of housing types. 218 6. Protect wildlife and natural areas. 219 7. Advance the efficient use of land and other resources. 220 8. Create quality communities of a design that reduces and 221 captures vehicle trips and promotes mobility options. 222 9. Enhance the prospects for state and local economic 223 development objectives and high-wage job creation. 224 (

g) Development standards for each type of land use 225 proposed within the development area which is typically found in 226 a planned unit development as defined in s. 163.3202(5)(b). 227 228 A blue ribbon plan must be based on a planning period longer 229 than the generally applicable planning period of the local 230 comprehensive plan and must specify the projected population 231 within the planning area during the chosen planning period. A 232

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 354 9-00466A-26 2026354__ Page 9 of 11 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. plan is not required to demonstrate need based on projected 233 population growth or any other basis. If under the plan a 234 project contributes land or funds or otherwise causes the 235 construction of public facilities pursuant to s. 163.3180, the 236 project must receive dollar-for-dollar credits against impact, 237 mobility, proportionate share, or other fee credits from the 238 local government for such facility improvements as required by 239 s. 163.3180. 240

(6) LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OF BLUE RIBBON 241 PLANS.— 242 (

a) A blue ribbon project may be located on land with any 243 future land use designation provided in the applicable local 244 government’s comprehensive plan and with any zoning designation 245 listed in the applicable local government’s land development 246 regulations. A comprehensive plan amendment or rezoning may not 247 be required for approval of a project. 248 (

b) A landowner may apply to the local government for 249 approval of a blue ribbon project. A project that meets the 250 requirements of this

section must be administratively approved 251 without further action by the local government or any quasi-252 judicial or administrative reviewing body. Local government 253 review of a project is limited to review for compliance with 254 this section. If the local government fails to provide written 255 comments on a project application within 60 days after receipt 256 of the application, or within 30 days after the applicant files 257 amended application documents that are responsive to initial 258 local government review, the application is automatically 259 approved. At any point after the local government’s initial 60-260 day review period, the applicant may request a final 261

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 354 9-00466A-26 2026354__ Page 10 of 11 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. determination by the local government, and the local government 262 must provide the determination within 7 days after receipt of 263 such request. If the local government fails to provide the 264 determination within the 7-day period, the application is 265 automatically approved. 266 (

c) Applicants may hire private companies to conduct plan 267 reviews and building inspections pursuant to s. 553.791. 268 (

d) If a blue ribbon project is approved, the applicant 269 must publish notice of such approval in a newspaper of general 270 circulation in the area in which the land is located. The notice 271 must include the local government order number, if any; the 272 section, township, and range in which the land is located; and a 273 description of the project. The notice must be published within 274 14 days after the approval is issued. 275 (

e) After a blue ribbon project has been reviewed and 276 approved, the applicant must record the blue ribbon plan in the 277 public records of the county in which the project property is 278 located, and the plan shall run with title to the land. The 279 applicant may not amend the recorded plan without undergoing 280 local government review of the plan amendment in accordance with 281 paragraph (b). Local government review of a plan amendment is 282 limited to the portions of the plan which are being revised. 283

(7) APPEAL PROCEDURE.— 284 (

a) If a local government denies an application for a blue 285 ribbon project, the applicant may appeal the decision by filing 286 a written petition with the Department of Commerce within 21 287 days after the date on which the applicant receives the local 288 government’s written notice of application denial. The applicant 289 shall provide a copy of the notice of appeal to the local 290

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 354 9-00466A-26 2026354__ Page 11 of 11 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. government. 291 (

b) Any person whose substantial interests are or may be 292 affected by the local government’s approval of a blue ribbon 293 project may request an administrative hearing by filing a 294 written petition with the Department of Commerce pursuant to ss. 295 120.569 and 120.57. The petition must be filed with the 296 Department of Commerce within 21 days after newspaper 297 publication of the notice of the local government decision in 298 accordance with paragraph (6)(d).

The petition must clearly 299 state the reasons for the petition and describe how the project 300 will adversely affect the person more substantially than the 301 general population of the geographical area in which the project 302 is located. A copy of the petition must also be provided to the 303 local government. If a petition is timely filed pursuant to this 304 subsection, the applicant may intervene as a party to the 305 hearing. 306 (

c) Before issuing an order on an appeal or petition under 307 this subsection, the Department of Commerce must hold a hearing 308 in accordance with

chapter 120. 309 (

d) The Department of Commerce shall determine whether the 310 blue ribbon project meets the requirements of this

section and 311 issue a final order granting or denying the application. The 312 department may attach conditions and restrictions to the order. 313 (

e) Section 120.595 applies to proceedings brought by a 314 person whose substantial interests are or may be affected by the 315 local government’s approval of a blue ribbon project under this 316 section. 317

Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 318