Seven years later, we are in the first month of what is forecast to be an unusually strong hurricane season. And, seven years later, talk of easing Florida building codes is raising a storm of controversy. Currently, there are some 450 different building codes in Florida, varying by city and county. A state-appointed commission is working to come up with a statewide building code. But its first draft released a couple months ago has left the building industry and government officials all but throwing bricks at each other.
Building codes established in South Florida after Hurricane Andrew are the toughest in the nation.
The proposed statewide code, while still better than many states, would not be as tough as the current South Florida code. For example, storm shutters would no longer be required on new construction. Criteria for wind resistance would be reduced. The number of building inspections during construction would be reduced from eight to three. South Florida toughened building codes after Andrew Dade and Broward County officials are attacking the building industry, saying it only wants to use cheaper materials so it can make more money.