The Florida Senate
HOUSE MESSAGE SUMMARY
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Community Affairs
[2023s01604.hms.ca]
BILL: CS/CS/SB 1604, 1
st
Eng.
INTRODUCER: Rules Committee; Community Affairs Committee; and Senator Ingoglia
SUBJECT: Land Use and Development Regulations
DATE: May 3, 2023
I.Amendments Contained in Message:
House Amendment — 714203 (body with title)
II.Summary of Amendments Contained in Message:
House Amendment — 714203 adds a new provision to the bill pertaining to electric substation
approval processes. Under current law, the construction of new “distribution electrical
substations” is a permitted use in all future land use categories and zoning districts, except for
those designated for preservation, conservation, or historic preservation. Local governments may
adopt reasonable land development regulations for new substations, addressing only setback,
landscaping, buffering, screening, lighting, and other aesthetic compatibility-based standards.
“Distribution electrical substation” is defined in current law as an electrical substation which
takes electricity from the transmission grid and converts it to a lower voltage so it can be
distributed to customers in the local area on the local distribution grid through one or more
distribution lines less than 69 kilovolts in size.
The amendment modifies the term “distribution electrical substation” to include accessory
administration or maintenance buildings and related accessory uses and structures. It also
removes reference to “distribution” and the kilovolt limitation, applying the local regulation
limitations to electric substations of all sizes, i.e., distribution and transmission substations.
Additionally, the amendment makes the electric substation approval process applicable to
existing substations, as well as new ones.