Article
Courtesy of Channel 4 CBS Miami
By CBS Miami Team
Published June 18, 2023
TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a bill
that will revise condominium-safety requirements passed after the deadly
June 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside.
Lawmakers passed the initial requirements in 2022 to deal with issues such
as condominium-building inspections and condominium-association financial
reserves. But lawmakers readdressed the issue during this year's legislative
session and unanimously passed the bill (SB 154) in May.
The bill stemmed, at least in part, from concerns by condominium residents
about the potential financial ramifications of the 2022 law. The bill, for
example, will revise requirements related to what are known as "milestone"
inspections for condominium buildings three stories or higher.
Under the 2022 law, inspections are required for buildings that have been
occupied for 30 years - or 25 years if the buildings are within three miles
of a coastline. After initial inspections, the buildings have to go through
the process every 10 years.
The bill will ease that somewhat, allowing buildings within three miles of
the coastline to be inspected after they have been occupied for 30 years. It
will allow local officials to require the inspections after 25 years of
occupancy depending on "local circumstances, including environmental
conditions such as proximity to salt water."
Also, the bill will allow local officials to extend inspection deadlines if
building owners have entered into contracts with architects or engineers but
the inspections cannot be finished in time.
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