Senate Bill 180 limits local governments’ ability to control development.
By Dania Hefley
Original Air Date: September 3, 2025
Host: The Manatee County Commission is under pressure from developers and the state government. Two weeks ago, the commissioners postponed a vote on development control measures that would have put them on a collision course. But yesterday, they did vote to join a lawsuit against a new state law that reduces the county’s control over development. Dania Hefley has the details.
Dania Hefley: The commissioners’ vote was the culmination of a debate that has been brewing for weeks. At issue is Senate Bill 180, a law that limits the ability of local governments to pass ordinances that are deemed “more restrictive or burdensome” on land use and development. Opponents of the bill argue it strips away local control, or “home rule,” and gives too much power to developers.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, residents expressed strong support for the lawsuit. Many highlighted that the law’s vague language creates confusion and could lead to costly litigation. They also said it hinders efforts to protect neighborhoods and the environment. Here’s what Manatee County resident Dalton Nelson had to say.
Dalton Nelson: The language of these bills is so vague that compliance becomes not only confusing but potentially costly. Counties and cities are left guessing on what’s allowed while facing the threat of legal challenges if they make the wrong call.
DH: Another resident, Kendra Elder, a registered Republican who voted for Governor Ron DeSantis, also voiced her support for the county to join the lawsuit.
Kendra Elder: This takes away our voices as Manatee County voters, and it dictates what we can or cannot do. That is not the party of freedom. That is not the party where woke goes to die in Florida. That is controlling every aspect of every county in this state. And it’s inexcusable; it is unconstitutional.
DH: The public sentiment was largely in favor of the lawsuit. Commissioner Tal Siddique spoke about developers’ motivations and why he believes legal action is the only path forward.
Tal Siddique
Tal Siddique: I welcome us joining this lawsuit. I think it’s the only way to make sure our voices are heard—that we aren’t just talking to legislators privately. We’re making it clear this is what the voters want but also what we want.
DH: But the vote was not unanimous. Commissioner Mike Rahn raised concerns about the potential consequences of suing the state. He warned that the county could face repercussions from Tallahassee, including a loss of state funding for key projects.
Mike Rahn: I don’t know if that’s retribution or whatever, but it’s going to be painful. We can join this lawsuit at any time. At any point, we can join this lawsuit. I’d prefer to wait to see what the filing looks like.
DH: The motion to join the lawsuit was approved by a 6-1 vote. Commissioner Amanda Ballard, while voting in favor, also cautioned against expecting a quick resolution.
Amanda Ballard: I do think that the lawsuit is a legal and proper way to clarify the meaning of the law. I don’t know that it solves the problem as quickly as we want to. I don’t want the public or anybody on this board to have an unrealistic expectation of the timeline of the suit and how quickly we’re going to achieve what we want to achieve here.
DH: We spoke with Rusty Chinnis, a local environmental advocate and board chair of Suncoast Waterkeeper.
Photo via WGI
Rusty Chinnis: Here we have a Republican county—Manatee County. You can hardly get any redder. Every one of the commissioners is a Republican. And yet they see that they were put on the board by the voters—by Republican voters—to do the right thing, which is to put the wetlands protections back into place and protect the integrity of the local environment. I think it’s a very interesting case. Hopefully it will be some pushback against this broader movement for overriding home rule.
DH: Chinnis also addressed the argument that the lawsuit could hurt the local economy.
RC: That’s because that’s how they look at everything, right? Dollars and cents. Short term profits. Nobody looks at the future. Everything is short-term here. Everything is dollars and cents. I think that’s a false economy.
DH: The vote officially authorizes the county attorney to proceed with the lawsuit. Manatee County is joining 10 other Florida municipalities in a class action lawsuit to challenge the new law in court. They include Orange County and the cities of Alachua, Stuart and Deltona. The suit has yet to be filed, but the county is also joining a lobbying effort with other counties to push for a legislative fix for the bill.
At a press conference Wednesday in Hillsborough County, Gov. Ron DeSantis doubled down on SB 180. Asked by a reporter, he said he backed the bill because it helps homeowners rebuild after hurricanes when local governments are throwing up obstacles. “What right do they have to tell you that you can’t rebuild your home?”, he told a cheering crowd. “This isn’t California. This is Florida.”
Reporting for WSLR News, Dania Hefley.
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