PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — The City of Port St. Lucie votes against joining a lawsuit that challenges a state law regulating emergency response and development after a hurricane. The city will not join more than 25 other municipalities, including Stuart, Delray Beach, and Palm Beach, which argue that the legislation, Senate Bill 180, violates the Florida Constitution.
The core of the legal challenge is the provision that prevents local governments from enacting stricter planning and zoning decisions on new developments, such as condos and housing projects, for one year following a major storm. The city council says they do not want to make a “hasty decision” regarding joining the suit immediately…