Florida Statutes Title XXVIII. Natural Resources; Conservation, Reclamation, and Use § 380.0657. Expedited permitting process for economic development projects

(1) The Department of Environmental Protection and, as appropriate, the water management districts created under chapter 373 shall adopt programs to expedite the processing of wetland resource and environmental resource permits for economic development projects that have been identified by a municipality or county as meeting the definition of target industry businesses under s. 288.106, or any intermodal logistics center receiving or sending cargo to or from Florida ports, with the exception of those projects requiring approval by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.

(2) A municipality or county shall provide an identified business with a city or county commission resolution identifying the business as a targeted industry business.

(3) A mandatory preapplication review process shall be required to reduce permitting conflicts by providing guidance to applicants regarding the permits needed from each agency and governmental entity, site planning and development, site suitability and limitations, facility design, and steps the applicant can take to ensure expeditious permit application review.

(4) A permit application shall be approved or denied within 45 days after receipt of the original application, the last item of timely requested additional material, or the applicant's written request to begin processing the permit application.

(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, permit applications for projects to be located in a charter county that has a population of 1.2 million or more and has entered into a delegation agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection or the applicable water management district to process environmental resource permits, wetland resource management permits, or surface water management permits pursuant to chapter 373 are eligible for expedited permitting under this section only upon designation by resolution of the charter county's governing board.  Before the governing board decides that a project is eligible for expedited permitting, it may require the county's economic development agency, or such other agency that provides advice to the governing board on economic matters, to review and recommend whether the project meets the definition of a target industry business as defined in s. 288.106 and to identify the tangible benefits and impacts of the project.  The governing board's decision shall be made without consideration of the project's geographic location within the charter county.  If the governing board designates the project as a target industry business, the permit application for the project shall be approved or denied within the timeframe provided in subsection (4).