A bill passed during the 2026 legislative session is set to have meaningful implications for how cities like Winter Springs manage land use and development decisions.
House Bill 399 significantly restricts local governments’ ability to block or tightly regulate land development and affordable housing projects. For residents who follow planning and zoning decisions in Winter Springs, it is worth understanding what this bill does and what it means at the local level.
What the Bill Does
HB 399 makes several changes to how local governments can regulate land use and development. Key provisions include requiring that application fees for development permits be reasonably related to actual review and processing costs, prohibiting fees based on a percentage of project costs. Local governments must also include specific compatibility factors in their comprehensive plans and land development regulations when reviewing residential development applications.
The bill requires local governments to administratively approve applications for minor special exceptions or variances by large destination resorts, limits the ability of cities to restrict off-site constructed residential dwellings beyond what applies to other residential types in the same zoning district, and allows residential manufactured homes to be placed on any lot in a recreational vehicle park.
What It Means for Winter Springs
These changes reduce the discretion local governments have when reviewing certain development applications. For a community like Winter Springs, where residents have consistently expressed interest in smart, compatible growth that fits neighborhood character, this shift in state authority is worth monitoring closely.
The bill may also have an indeterminate negative fiscal impact on local governments as development fee structures are adjusted to comply with the new requirements.
I will continue to follow how HB 399 affects Winter Springs as the city works to implement its requirements and will share updates as they become available.
Victoria Bruce
Winter Springs Commissioner, District 2
Protecting Winter Springs
