Which act protects private property rights and addresses land use restrictions enacted after 1995?

• A. Community Planning Act of 2011
• B. Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Regulation Act
• C. Florida Growth Management Act of 1985
• D. Bert J. Harris Private Property Rights Protection Act of 1995

Answer: (D)

This question focuses on which law protects private property rights when land-use restrictions are enacted after 1995. The Bert J. Harris Private Property Rights Protection Act of 1995 provides a private remedy for property owners whose property value or reasonable use is diminished by government regulations adopted after that date. It recognizes that post-1995 land-use rules can amount to a taking requiring compensation, even if there isn’t a physical seizure of the property, and it creates a pathway for owners to seek compensation from the government. This is distinct from planning and growth-management statutes that govern how development is planned and regulated but do not automatically offer a post-enactment compensation remedy for diminished property value. So, the correct choice is the act that explicitly protects private property rights by addressing restrictions put in place after 1995.