News Summary
A lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Florida’s SB 180 has been filed by 1000 Friends of Florida and an Orange County resident. The law restricts local governments from modifying growth plans and has sparked controversy, raising concerns about the impact on local governance and environmental preservation. The lawsuit claims SB 180 violates due-process rights and the Florida Constitution. Local officials express worries over the law’s restrictions while Senator DiCeglie is open to amendments to address local governance needs.
Tallahassee – 1000 Friends of Florida and an Orange County resident have filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the recently enacted state law SB 180, which restricts local governments’ ability to modify their growth plans. This lawsuit was initiated on October 8, 2025, in Leon County Circuit Court and adds to a growing list of legal challenges against the law aimed at reforming growth management regulations across the state.
The controversial law, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in June as part of relief efforts following the 2024 hurricanes, expressly prevents cities and counties from implementing “more restrictive or burdensome” changes to their comprehensive plans and land-development regulations. Additionally, SB 180 freezes local growth regulations until October 1, 2027, with a retroactive application starting from August 1, 2024. A legal challenge was also filed the week prior by 25 cities and counties against this same legislation.
Within the ongoing disputes, the city of Ocoee has reported complications stemming from the law after the Florida Department of Commerce rejected its revised comprehensive plan due to the new restrictions, prompting them to file a separate case with the state Division of Administrative Hearings.
The lawsuit claims that SB 180 violates the due-process rights of local governments and appears to be both “arbitrary and capricious.” It further asserts that the law contravenes the Florida Constitution’s single-subject limitation on legislation, pointing to provisions that extend beyond emergency-related matters, including bans on the implementation of more stringent land-use and zoning regulations, as well as prohibiting construction moratoriums.
According to the lawsuit, SB 180 affects comprehensive plans and land-development codes across all local governments in Florida, imposing restrictions that are not confined to emergency management scenarios. Observers, including members of 1000 Friends of Florida from counties such as Brevard, Manatee, St. Johns, and Orange, have claimed to experience adverse effects as a result of the law.
Key figures named in the lawsuit include Department of Commerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly and Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie. The lead plaintiff, Rachel Hildebrand, represents concerns that her rural community faces escalating development pressures and an erosion of its rural character due to the restrictive measures established by SB 180. Local officials have voiced worries that this law hampers their ability to manage growth sustainably, thus adversely affecting public safety and environmental preservation efforts.
As the legislative landscape evolves, Senator Nick DiCeglie, a sponsor of SB 180, has indicated an openness to pursuing amendments to the law in response to feedback from local officials who are currently urging changes ahead of the 2026 legislative session. He noted the importance of addressing local governance needs while balancing growth concerns.
Moreover, SB 180 also provides developers and private citizens with the authority to sue local governments over any new planning requirements that have emerged since the law’s enforcement began in August 2024. Consequently, local governments are experiencing delays in adopting necessary comprehensive plans to better manage land development in light of the law’s prohibitive measures.
The enactment of SB 180 has sparked considerable pushback from local administrations and advocacy groups alike, highlighting a significant tension between local planning priorities and state-level restrictions that could reshape Florida’s developmental landscape for years to come.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
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Call to Repeal Controversial Disaster Recovery Law in Florida
New Developments and Corporate Changes Across Florida
Additional Resources
- Tallahassee.com: Florida growth law faces new legal challenge
- Wikipedia: Land use planning
- Orlando Sentinel: Florida law restricting local growth plans draws another challenge
- Google Search: Florida growth law legal challenges
- Tallahassee Reports: City fights state growth law decision
- Google Scholar: Florida growth management law
- Florida Phoenix: Florida cities and counties line up to defy new pro-developer state law
- Encyclopedia Britannica: State civil rights
- My News 13: Florida bills threaten local control over land development
- Google News: Florida local government growth plans
Author: STAFF HERE TALLAHASSEE WRITER
The TALLAHASSEE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERETallahassee.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Tallahassee, Leon County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Springtime Tallahassee, Tallahassee Jazz & Blues Festival, and LeMoyne Chain of Parks Art Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce and United Way of the Big Bend, plus leading businesses in education, healthcare, and insurance that power the local economy such as Florida State University, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, and Capital Health Plan. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREJacksonville.com, HEREOrlando.com, HEREStPetersburg.com, and HERETampa.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Florida's dynamic landscape.
