As four developers are looking to use Florida’s new Live Local Act to deliver lower-cost apartments to the Orlando area, Orange County established its playbook on how projects like these should be handled and where they’re allowed to go.

Some worry the policy, adopted by the commission on Aug. 8, is too restrictive and could actually derail good affordable housing projects. Developers looking to use Live Local to build on commercial property within 100 feet of a single-family home would be limited to constructing only townhomes or quadplexes, per the county’s rules.

County officials say the provision reflects what’s already in the county code regarding multifamily development projects.

The Live Local Act, which was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March and took effect on July 1, requires counties and cities to approve a multifamily development project in an area already zoned for commercial, industrial, or mixed-use if at least 40% of the units are affordable for households making up to 120% of the Area Median Income.

According to the county’s policy, Live Local projects would be prohibited on land with a PD (planned development) designation. PDs make up the majority of the land across unincorporated Orange County, covering approximately 92,308 acres, according to county data. These are where most multifamily projects are built.

Source:  GrowthSpotter