Session Law 2015-246 (House Bill 44) Summary

• Expands notice to chronic violators to include both public nuisance and overgrown vegetation ordinances, allowing cities to remedy violations without further notice and collect expenses as liens on property.

• Authorizes cities to regulate structures on ocean beaches that are uninhabitable and without water/sewer services for more than 120 days to prevent unreasonable restrictions on public beach access.

• Prohibits counties and cities from requiring compliance with voluntary state regulations or rules, or regulations with delayed effective dates, in zoning, land use, subdivision, or developmental approvals.

• Reforms well drilling regulations by allowing property owners to obtain permits for private drinking water wells on properties served by public water systems and permits for irrigation wells regardless of public water system service.

• Establishes multiple local government reforms including permit choice for applicants when regulations change, preaudit certification requirements for financial transactions, signage exemptions for construction site fence wraps, beehive ownership limits, and riparian buffer restrictions limiting local governments to state and federal requirements.