YULEE, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis weighed in on two bills nearing the finish line at the State Capitol with the potential for big local impacts during a stop in Yulee Thursday.
The first, a bill designating so-called “temporarily”, would allow landowners with 15,000 acres or more to bypass local zoning codes and future land use plans for large-scale developments, so long as 60 percent of the land remains undeveloped.
St. Johns County residents have spoken out against the bill, fearing three major plots in the rural part of the county would likely become targets for major developments.
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While the Governor said he’s not familiar with all the details, he suggested he may have reservations.
“By and large, you know, local governments have a role in fashioning in the type of communities that are developing, especially in areas that have had big population growth,” DeSantis said.
Earlier in the day, the bill was temporarily postponed before a vote in the Senate after five top Republican lawmakers voiced serious concerns.
“This one’s just not ready for primetime,” State Senator Kathlee Passidomo (R-Naples) said.
The Governor also weighed in on a bill of great concern in Putnam County.
The bill would remove the Kirkpatrick Dam, or the Rodman Dam, as it was previously named, by the end of 2032.
It cleared the Florida House Wednesday.
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DeSantis stopped short of endorsing the bill, but explained why he vetoed funding for the removal last year.
“Because I thought it was gonna lead to something where they weren’t gonna necessarily have input to what happens going forward,” DeSantis said.
Bill sponsor State Representative Wyman Duggan (R-Jacksonville) told us he’s been working with the Governor’s Office to address those concerns.
“And I hope that it puts us in a good position to get the Governor’s support,” Duggan said.
The dam removal bill is ready for a floor vote in the Senate.
The Blue Ribbon Project bill is ready for floor votes in both chambers.
The bills have a little more than a week remaining to clear the finish line.
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