Manufacturing Competitiveness Act Development Approval Program

Overview

The Manufacturing Competitiveness Act (Chapter 2013-224, Laws of Florida) became effective July 1, 2013. The Act is intended to facilitate the development of new and the expansion of existing manufacturing businesses within the State of Florida.

Local Manufacturing Development Approval Program

The Act allows local governments (cities and counties) to establish a manufacturing master development plan review process. The process provides the ability for an applicant for a new or expanding manufacturing business to go through a single local-level master development plan process and, upon approval, proceed to development without requiring any additional approvals or permits, except for building permits. Approved applications would not expire for a minimum of 10 years.

• Local governments may establish a manufacturing master development plan review program by adopting an enabling ordinance. The enabling ordinance must satisfy minimum applicable criteria in the Act, including identifying the locations where the program will apply, and the appropriate application review process.
• A local government that elects to establish a local manufacturing development program shall submit a copy of the ordinance establishing the program to FloridaCommerce within 20 days after the ordinance is enacted.
• A local government ordinance adopted before July 1, 2013, may be used to establish the local manufacturing development program, so long as the ordinance satisfies the minimum criteria established in the Act and if the local government submits a copy of the ordinance to the department on or before September 1, 2013.
• An ordinance establishing a local manufacturing development program should be sent to the following address:

Model Local Manufacturing Development Program Ordinance

The Act requires FloridaCommerce to develop a model ordinance that local governments can use to create their own local manufacturing development program ordinance. FloridaCommerce's model ordinance is available in Word and pdf formats:

• Model Local Manufacturing Development Program Ordinance in Word
• Model Local Manufacturing Development Program Ordinance in pdf

State Coordinated Manufacturing Development Approval Process

The Act requires FloridaCommerce to coordinate the manufacturing development approval process with participating agencies for those manufacturers developing or expanding in a city or county that has adopted an ordinance establishing a local manufacturing development program.

The State-coordinated process includes collaboration and coordination among, and simultaneous review by, the participating agencies of applications for the following state development approvals:

1. Wetland or environmental resource permits
2. Surface water management permits
3. Stormwater permits
4. Consumptive water use permits
5. Wastewater permits
6. Air emission permits
7. Permits relating to listed species
8. Highway or roadway access permits
9. Any other state development approval within the scope of a participating agency's authority

In addition to FloridaCommerce, the following agencies are participating in the State-coordinated process:

• The Florida Department of Environmental Protection
• The Florida Department of Transportation
• The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
• Each of the State's five Water Management Districts

Local Governments that Have Adopted a Local Manufacturing Development Program Ordinance:

• Manatee County
  • Manatee County Manufacturing Development Program Ordinance Number 15-031
  • Map of Parcels that qualify for Manufacturing Development Plan Program
  • City of Bradenton Manufacturing Development Program Ordinance Number 3030
• Volusia County
  • Volusia County Manufacturing Development Program Ordinance 2020-1