“No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.”― Gideon J. Tucker

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm

Reporter - News Analyst

March 23, 2017 3:50 p.m.

The Fernandina Observer doesn’t usually focus on Tallahassee activities, not because they aren’t important, but because we have limited resources. This legislative session, however, we have become alarmed over the number of bills introduced that seem to gut home rule authority of chartered cities and counties throughout the state.

At the March 21, 2017 Regular Meeting of the City of Fernandina Beach (FBCC), City Attorney Tammi Bach updated commissioners on some of the pending legislation that could dramatically alter local government authority to regulate business and address matters of concern only to their community.

Bach, who met with members of the Nassau Delegation in Tallahassee last week, spoke to the following specifics:

• Wireless communication facilities. Small cell towers and boxes would be able to be placed in city rights-of-way with no coordination or approval with local governments.
• Vacation rentals. Because Fernandina Beach has an ordinance in place, Bach believes that the city should not be affected, but the state is once again trying to stop local governments from such regulation.
• Transportation network companies. Local governments would be prohibited from regulating services like Uber and Lyft, but does not mention taxicabs.
• Local government preemption (HB17). This would prevent any local regulation of businesses, professions, and has already been passed by 3 committees.
• CRAs. The state is cracking down on Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs). Unless an existing CRA is paying off bonds, SB1770 would eliminate CRAs. An amendment is pending that would allow a local government to keep a CRA in place by a super majority vote of the governing body.
• Drones.  Despite Police Chief Hurley’s request that the city develop a policy to deal with the growing drone issues, the state is pushing a measure to prevent local government from regulating drones at all.
• Local business taxes would be capped at $25 per business. The city currently generates about $40,000 from local business taxes. The fee is $75 for a restaurant and $50 for other types of business.
• Stormwater management preemption. No local government could pass a more restrictive ordinance than state law to set standards for clean water. The state would dictate how clean stormwater should be prior to discharge.

Bach ended her recitation by saying, “There is no good news. Yet. But hopefully there will be next meeting.”

Newspapers around the state have written editorials opposing state preemption of local government power. "They take away our local decision-making and make it centralized," said Carol McCormack, president of the Florida League of Mayors and mayor of Palm Shores, during a recent news conference. "The planning and decision-making, they want to leave that up to the legislators in Tallahassee."

If you would like to follow the progress of any bill this legislative session, you may do so via House and Senate websites. You may also download an app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Marketplace-- search for FLC Events.

You may contact the members of the Nassau delegation via information provided below.

Editor's Note: Suanne Z. Thamm is a native of Chautauqua County, NY, who moved to Fernandina Beach from Alexandria,VA, in 1994. As a long time city resident and city watcher, she provides interesting insight into the many issues that impact our city. We are grateful for Suanne's many contributions to the Fernandina Observer.