Together, We Can Elect Leaders Who Defend Rural Florida

The future of Florida’s rural communities, working lands, and open spaces depends on

strong leadership that prioritizes preservation over unchecked development. Join us in

supporting candidates who will protect rural Florida and opposing those who put private

interests ahead of our lands, livelihoods, and way of life.

Local governments and citizens should have the authority to shape the future of their

own communities.

Why Local Control Matters:

•  Safeguards Rural Lands: Working farms, ranches, and open spaces disappear once sprawl moves in. These landscapes are irreplaceable.
•  Enhances Safety: Local leaders need the ability to address wetlands, flooding, storm preparation, and other environmental risks unique to their area.
•  Respects Voters: Decisions about growth belong with the people who live there—not distant officials responding to special interests in Tallahassee.

SB 180 undermines local control, community planning, and the will of voters. Its vague prohibition on “more restrictive or burdensome” growth policies leaves cities and counties exposed to lawsuits from developers. The law even applies retroactively to August 1, 2024, putting past local decisions at risk. Communities like Orange County and Deltona are already under legal threat. 

This law must be repealed or amended to restore fairness and protect the local planning authority.

Florida taxpayers have invested billions to protect conservation land "in perpetuity", yet

current law allows easements to be released at any time, for any reason, with no

oversight or compensation. This glaring loophole allows land supposedly protected from

development to be handed back to landowners and opened up for roads, subdivisions,

or commercial sprawl.

It’s time to fix the law and ensure true, lasting protection for our conservation

lands.

In 2021, Florida passed a law stripping local governments of their ability to regulate

industrial solar farms on agricultural lands. The result? A wave of rural land loss as solar

developers convert farms, pastures, and forests into sprawling utility projects, often

without local input.

We support repealing this law and giving rural communities the right to decide

what’s best for their land.

The Bert J. Harris Act was designed to protect landowners from unfair government

action. Today, it’s being weaponized by developers to force approval of irresponsible

growth. Lawsuits under the Harris Act are being used to intimidate local governments

and override sound planning decisions.

We seek to restore the original intent of the law and protect local decision-making

from exploitation.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is tasked with protecting the

state’s wildlife and natural resources. But with the board increasingly populated by

individuals with ties to development interests, conservation is taking a back seat.

We propose reforms to ensure the commission is guided by science,

stewardship, and a genuine commitment to preservation.