Sons of DRI

In the recent history of Florida land regulations, few initials were as dreaded as “DRI.”

The initials, which stand for Developments of Regional Impact, consisted of a lengthy, expensive and risky process to get large-scale real estate developments approved.

As part of growth-management reform, the Florida Legislature recently abolished the DRI process for Florida's densest counties and allowed any other municipalities to opt out of it. Also, as part of the growth-management changes, it allowed local governments to decide how to pay for new roads and schools.

That's resulted in a variety of government schemes to collect money from developers and new homeowners, says Ronald Weaver, a prominent Tampa-based land-use attorney. Weaver recently spoke on the subject at a Real Estate Investment Society gathering in Fort Myers.

“What is the right solution?” Weaver asked. “Some say it's a mobility fee.”

But there's a multitude of thorny questions of how to charge fairly for new roads based on a “mobility fee” on residents. For example, should someone who commutes 30 miles a day pay more than another who drives just three miles?

So far, 14 jurisdictions have chosen another way to pay for roads, recreation and schools, each with its own set of rules. The result could be a spawn of inconsistent regulatory schemes for developers to wrestle.