🗞️ Edgewater Resident Urges City Council to Challenge SB 180 in Powerful Letter

As the Edgewater City Council prepares to take a decisive vote on whether to challenge Florida’s controversial Senate Bill 180, longtime resident and environmental advocate Libby Lavette has stepped forward with a passionate plea for action.

In a letter addressed to Mayor Diezel DePew and council members, Lavette—who spent over 30 years living and serving in Edgewater—called on the city’s leadership to uphold its constitutional authority and resist what she described as “a direct attack” on local governance.

“You are preparing to make a critical decision,” Lavette wrote. “This is more than a legal or political issue; it’s about upholding the very principles that have allowed Edgewater to thrive.”

Senate Bill 180, signed into law earlier this year, restricts municipalities from enforcing development moratoriums and other land-use regulations deemed “burdensome” following natural disasters. Edgewater is one of the first cities in Florida to defy the law, voting 3–2 last month to maintain two moratoriums aimed at curbing overdevelopment and protecting flood-prone areas.

Lavette’s letter emphasized the importance of Home Rule—a constitutional provision that grants cities the authority to govern themselves without interference from the state. “Your oath is to the Florida Constitution, not to a political agenda,” she wrote, referencing concerns that Governor Ron DeSantis could retaliate against council members who oppose SB 180.

The letter also expressed unwavering support for council members who choose to challenge the law. “Should the Governor attempt to remove any of you for upholding that oath and defending the city's constitutional rights, please know that we would stand with you,” Lavette stated.

Councilmembers Eric Rainbird and Charlotte Gillis, who voted to keep the moratoriums, have echoed similar sentiments in recent meetings, citing the need to protect residents from flooding and unchecked development.

As the city considers joining a broader coalition of municipalities challenging SB 180 in court, Lavette’s message adds a deeply personal and civic-minded voice to the growing chorus of opposition.

Her closing words were a call to conscience: “A stand for home rule is a stand for the well-being of the city and its residents.”