Senate Bill 180 restricts local governments from adopting land use regulations deemed more restrictive than those in place as of July 2024. It applies retroactively to August 1, 2024, and allows applicants to challenge ordinances through a pre-suit process, with municipalities facing up to $250,000 in legal fees if unsuccessful. Though framed as a hurricane recovery measure, the law applies statewide and raises concerns about unintended consequences, including inconsistent building standards, insurance challenges, and weakened local planning authority.

Quoted in the article, WSHC+B partner Jamie Cole stated: “Senate Bill 180 significantly limits the authority of local governments to adopt land use regulations considered more restrictive or burdensome than current laws.”

WSHC+B is actively advising municipal clients statewide to review land-use and development regulations adopted since August 1, 2024, to assess potential legal risks under SB 180, and to consider the effect of the bill on their enactments that could be construed as more restrictive or burdensome than current laws.

If your municipality has questions or needs guidance on navigating the implications of Florida Senate Bill 180 and related hurricane recovery laws, please contact Jamie A. Cole (jcole@wsh-law.com) or Susan Trevarthen (strevarthen@wsh-law.com).

Click here to read the full article by the Martin County Press.

The post WSHC+B Mentioned in the Martin County Press on Florida Senate Bill 180 appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

SB 180, now enrolled as Chapter 2025-190 of the Laws of Florida, prohibits local governments from imposing moratoria on redevelopment or enacting land use regulations that are “more restrictive or burdensome” for up to one year after a future hurricane makes landfall, if the community is within 100 miles of the storm track. 

Notably, it also retroactively applies a similar limitation to regulations adopted since August 1, 2024, effectively placing a freeze on local zoning authority across the entire state.  While this provision of the bill purports to affect only certain communities affected by three recent storms, it actually applies to every community in Florida due to the breadth of recent federal disaster declarations.

Jamie noted that the law could prevent local governments from adopting common-sense measures to improve resilience in areas prone to flooding. “We can learn from a hurricane, say, that certain areas flood terribly. So, if a city wants to pass an ordinance that says that if you redevelop, you’ve got to make houses a little higher. Well, now, we can’t do that.”

WSHC+B is actively advising municipal clients statewide to review land-use and development regulations adopted since August 1, 2024, to assess potential legal risks under SB 180, and to consider the effect of the bill on their enactments that could be construed as more restrictive or burdensome than current laws.

If your municipality has questions or needs guidance on navigating the implications of Florida Senate Bill 180 and related hurricane recovery laws, please contact Jamie A. Cole (jcole@wsh-law.com) or Susan Trevarthen (strevarthen@wsh-law.com).

Click here to read the full article by The Gainesville Sun.

The post WSHC+B Partner Jamie Cole Quoted in The Gainesville Sun on Florida Senate Bill 180 appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

SB 180, now enrolled as Chapter 2025-190 of the Laws of Florida, prohibits local governments from imposing moratoria on redevelopment or enacting land use regulations that are “more restrictive or burdensome” for up to one year after a future hurricane makes landfall, if the community is within 100 miles of the storm track.

Notably, it also retroactively applies a similar limitation to regulations adopted since August 1, 2024, effectively placing a freeze on local zoning authority across the entire state.  While this provision of the bill purports to only affect certain communities affected by three recent storms, it actually applies to every community in Florida due to the breadth of recent federal disaster declarations.

Jamie A. Cole, who has substantial experience regarding home rule matters, described the legislation as an unprecedented overreach into municipal autonomy.

“It’s not just development regulations related to hurricane recovery. It’s anything. So it just kind of opens the complete door to development,” Cole told Law360. “It’s an unbelievable intrusion into home rule authority for cities, because cities basically can no longer pass things that they think are in the best interest of their community.”

Susan Trevarthen, who leads the firm’s local government land use practice, emphasized that the law’s provision for future storms undermines the very foundation of municipal home rule power. “So what that creates is a perpetual situation where it’s chaotic and unpredictable when local governments will ever have their land-use powers again,” she said. 

The article also highlights concerns from local governments that broad, undefined terms like “more restrictive” or “burdensome” could invite lawsuits from developers, potentially discouraging necessary regulation even when public safety is at stake. Trevarthen noted that effectively, “you don’t have power if you can only use it to say yes.”

WSHC+B is actively advising municipal clients statewide to carefully review land-use and development regulations adopted since August 1, 2024, to assess potential legal risks under SB 180, and to consider the impact of the bill in their future enactments. The firm is collaborating with several cities considering constitutional challenges and is analyzing viable legal strategies to protect local authority.

Cole noted that Florida “cities are in a tough spot right now. And they’re going to have to decide whether to just abide by it or try to challenge it.”

If your municipality has questions or needs guidance on navigating the implications of Florida Senate Bill 180 and related hurricane recovery laws, please contact Jamie A. Cole (jcole@wsh-law.com) or Susan Trevarthen (strevarthen@wsh-law.com).

Click here to read the full article by Law360. 

The post WSHC+B Partners Featured in Law360 Article on Florida’s New Land Use Restrictions in Hurricane Legislation appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

Firm Managing Director Mitchell J. Burnstein, Miami Office Managing Director Mitchell A. Bierman, Fort Lauderdale Office Managing Director Jamie A. Cole, and Boca Raton Office Managing Director Brett J. Schneider were recognized for their leadership in shaping strategy, mentoring attorneys, and guiding WSHC+B’s continued impact.

This annual series spotlights the region’s most influential legal and financial professionals driving innovation and business growth across South Florida.

To view the full list of 2025 honorees for Power Leaders in Law & Accounting, please click here for part one and click here for part two of the list.

The post All Four WSHC+B Managing Partners Named As SFBJ’s 2025 Power Leaders in Law & Accounting appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

Florida Trend’s editorial review team vetted and selected individual managing partners who qualified for inclusion by meeting and exceeding specific criteria and methodology parameters that were adopted for its nomination process. The state’s most influential managing partners were selected after a year-long research initiative by the editors of Florida Trend.

Representing our offices throughout South Florida, each WSHC+B managing partner plays a key role in advancing the firm’s development throughout the region. Their commitment and leadership has made them recognized in the profession, mentors within their teams, and advocates for their communities.

Click here to view Florida Trend’s Legal Elite – Notable Managing Partners list.

The post WSHC+B Partners Recognized in Florida Trend’s 2025 Notable Managing Partners List appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

Super Lawyers recognizes distinguished attorneys who have undergone a rigorous screening process and are ultimately selected for inclusion in their annual list of exceptional legal professionals. Published by Thomson Reuters, Super Lawyers is a rating service of attorneys from more than 70 practice areas and determines its rankings through independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. Only the top 5 percent of outstanding lawyers in Florida are rated by Super Lawyers, while no more than 2.5 percent of lawyers under 40 years old or who have practiced for fewer than 10 years are selected as Rising Stars.

The firm’s recognized attorneys are listed below.

Miami

Recognized as Super Lawyers

• Mitchell Bierman
• Alan K. Fertel
• Edward G. Guedes
• Joseph H. Serota

Fort Lauderdale

Recognized as Super Lawyers

• Mitchell J. Burnstein
• Jamie A. Cole
• Michael J. Kurzman
• Susan Trevarthen
• Peter D. Waldman

Recognized as Rising Stars

• Chanae Wood

Boca Raton

Recognized as Super Lawyers

• Howard D. DuBosar
• Alen H. Hsu
• Brett J. Schneider

Recognized as Rising Stars

● Jeremey Rosner

The post WSHC+B Attorneys Recognized as 2025 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

To enforce compliance, SB 180 empowers residents and businesses to bring civil actions against local governments to obtain declaratory and injunctive relief, along with recovery of attorneys’ fees and costs, if a local government fails to announce its intent to repeal such ordinance within 14 days of receiving written demand, and proceeds to repeal such ordinance within 30 days. 

Although the amendment appears to be limited in its impact and apply only to counties identified in Federal Disaster Declarations for Hurricanes Debby (DR-4806), Helene (DR-4828), and Milton (DR-4834), those declarations collectively cover every county and municipality in Florida.

SB 180 is currently pending presentation to the Governor. Local governments should immediately review all ordinances adopted since August 1, 2024, and assess whether any fall within the scope of this sweeping state preemption. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us to discuss: Jamie A. Cole (jcole@wsh-law.com); Susan Trevarthen (strevarthen@wsh-law.com); Chad S. Friedman (cfriedman@wsh-law.com); or Roger C. Pou (rpou@wsh-law.com).

The post Client Alert: Florida Legislature Retroactively Prohibits Any More Restrictive Regulations on Development from 2024 to 2027 and Beyond appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

View the full list here.

The post WSHC+B Named Among Florida Trend’s “Biggest Law Firms In Florida” appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

The post Gov. DeSantis announces Florida’s New Government Efficiency Task Force: What It Means for Governmental Agencies and Government-Funded Entities appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

The post Jamie Cole Selected in Florida Trend’s 2024 Florida 500 List appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.