Ditchmen • NUCA of Florida Ditchmen - May 2020 | Page 23

CTION
ship
UCA
n
g
,
ide
such
golf
ies all
fits,
cal
irectly
ic
ed
e
im
r
ed by
eland
cy
kforce.
ida
re
y
director to encourage inclusion of
construction as part of the critical
infrastructure workforce. The
result: construction, including
underground utility work, was
included in the governor’s
executive order as an “essential
service.”
Likewise, recognizing there
may be delays in building and
development permits, we reached
out to the Governor’s Office and
the Department of Business &
Professional Regulation to ensure
that a directive would be issued
indicating that building and
development permits could be
extended for up to six months.
For several years, building permits,
development orders and other
government approvals (DEP, water
management districts, DRIs) could
be extended when the governor
declares a state of emergency,
pursuant to Chapter 252, Florida
Statutes, Section 252.363. In 2019,
the Florida Legislature limited
this ability to extend permits to
only declarations for a “natural
emergency.”