HB 1159 Summary: Connected-City Corridors

• Authorizes local governments to adopt connected-city corridor plan amendments for areas designed to attract technology employers while providing mixed-use development, diverse housing, and alternative transportation networks.

• Exempts connected-city corridor plan amendments from state agency review and streamlines approval to local government only, with only public hearings as set forth in existing law required.

• Projects within adopted connected-city corridors are deemed to satisfy all concurrency and transportation mitigation requirements if the local government adopts a long-term master transportation network plan and financial feasibility plan.

• Allows affected persons to challenge plan amendments at the Division of Administrative Hearings within 30 days of adoption, with the plan amendment deemed compliant if the local government's determination is "fairly debatable."

• Exempts developments within connected-city corridor plan boundaries from development of regional impact review and requires community development districts within corridors to be established by county ordinance rather than alternative methods; effective July 1, 2015.