Florida Construction News staff writer

The city of St. Petersburg has been ordered to stop enforcing its restrictive building rules after the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. (ABC) successfully challenged the city’s ordinances in court.

The ruling states that the city’s ordinances were unfair, unconstitutional, and in violation of state laws, as they required contractors to hire a minimum of 15% of apprentices and 15% of “disadvantaged workers”, and also imposed stringent wage requirements and severe financial penalties for non-compliance. ABC claims that these practices were the result of the city exceeding its legal powers and impacting the construction industry. (The association represents and advocates for non-union “merit shop” contractors.)

The city chose not to appeal the ruling, which is a significant victory for the ABC and for taxpayers in St. Petersburg, the association said in an Aug. 7 statement.

The decision to strike down these rules will make it easier for contractors to bid on and complete major projects in the city, leading to increased competition and lower project costs for taxpayers, the statement says. This ruling also sends a clear message to other cities across the state that similar rules will not be upheld.

Steve Cona III, President/CEO of the ABC Florida Gulf Coast Chapter said the statement: “We are thrilled with this victory. The court recognized that these rules were unfair and detrimental to the construction industry. This decision ensures that construction projects in St. Petersburg are fair and competitive, sending a clear message that similar rules won’t hold up statewide. This is also a significant win for taxpayers, as increased competition will lead to better pricing and more opportunities for small businesses.”