GROWTH MANAGEMENT 

Bradenton Herald 

Can St. Johns County block new ‘ag enclave’ developments?  

Signed into law in April and effective July 1, SB 686 is designed to convert agricultural parcels that are surrounded by development into development sites by sidestepping the traditional – and lengthy – comprehensive plan amendment process. 

  

Orlando Sentinel  

State law forces Orange County vote on controversial 1,400-acre Sustanee site  

The developers behind the Sustanee project are making a renewed push for their repeatedly rejected plan to build a housing subdivision in rural east Orange County, using a new state law to declare their planned 1,800-home community an “agricultural enclave” that local officials would have limited ability to control. 

 

PROPERTY TAXES 

Bradenton Herald 

Sarasota County braces for impact of Florida property tax change vote 

Florida’s property tax system has been in place for 58 years. 

 

WLRN 

Florida’s proposed property tax amendment will require trade‑offs – some may end up with higher costs 

Between inflation, rising car and property insurance premiums and the costs of contending with extreme weather, many Florida homeowners are feeling financially squeezed. 

 

Mid Florida Newspaper 

Property tax clash gets day in court  

TALLAHASSEE — A Leon Circuit Court judge heard arguments Wednesday over whether the property tax cut proposal to be placed on the November ballot is misleading to voters. 

 

Florida Politics 

Voters reject property tax initiative once they understand what’s at stake, pollster says 

Is Florida going to be the next California? 

 

DATA CENTERS 

Bradenton Herald  

Manatee County FL moves to pause AI data center construction 

After urging from residents, commissioners voted to move forward with a moratorium on data centers in Manatee County Tuesday. 

  

CYBERSECURITY  

Bradenton Herald 

Cyber defense agency warns hackers increasingly targeting water systems  

The U.S. government’s civilian cyber defense agency on Thursday warned of a significant increase in hackers targeting technology used to maintain and control water and wastewater systems, and said operators of such systems should remove them from the internet as soon as possible.