Miami Beach officials gathered Tuesday morning outside the Fontainebleau Hotel to oppose proposed state legislation they say would weaken the city’s control over local development, including a controversial plan for a water park at the oceanfront resort.

“Tallahassee is not the zoning board of Miami Beach,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner.

Changes to the legislation late last month, following lobbying by the Fontainebleau, would allow the hotel to bypass the review process of the Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board and proceed with installing the water slides.

House Bill 399 — which passed the Florida House last Wednesday — would limit how much local governments can regulate development and charge for permits. City leaders and residents say the measure could open the door to unchecked growth.

READ MORE: Florida House passes housing bill limiting local control over development

A companion measure, Senate Bill 208, could be voted on as soon as March 11. But unlike the House version, the Senate bill leaves out its most controversial elements—including the resort amendment favoring the Fontainebleau and a provision allowing Everglades development with a simple majority from the Miami-Dade County Commission.

“Its sweeping consequences could be irreversible for our community,” said Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez.

The debate comes as the Fontainebleau has proposed building a water park with slides on its pool deck, a plan that has drawn criticism from nearby residents.

In a Feb. 10 meeting for the city’s Historic Preservation Board, residents turned out in large numbers to oppose the construction to install as many as 11 water slides — one of which is 120 feet high. The matter came before the board due to the Fontainebleau being a designated historic site within a local historic district. The independent city body is responsible for ensuring that changes to landmarks are compatible with architectural and cultural significance.

The Fontainebleau, located on 4441 Collins Ave, is considered historic for its Morris Lapidus-designed Miami Modern (MiMo) architecture. Opened in 1954 on “Millionaire’s Row,” the hotel became a symbol of Miami Beach’s midcentury glamour and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Now, the decision over the historic hotel could move forward with limited city oversight if the Senate measure is approved.

Supporters of the bills say the changes would help increase housing statewide, including in coastal areas, by reducing restrictions imposed by local governments.

Opponents argue the legislation would strip cities of their authority to control development in their own communities.

“Local governments are closest to the people they serve and are best positioned to balance economic development with the needs of residents, traffic realities, infrastructure capacity and the protection of our historic landmarks,” said Meiner in a statement. “Miami Beach respects the role of the state, however decisions that directly impact our community should continue to include meaningful local review and public input.”

Critics also warn the legislation could weaken historic preservation protections.

“It’s not just affecting us — it would affect every corner of the state,” said Meg Lousteau, executive director of the Miami Design Preservation League. “Local citizens would lose their right to control their own municipalities if this bill were to pass.”

A spokesperson for the Fontainebleau said the legislative debate is separate from the hotel’s proposal for the water park. The spokesperson added that the project would not increase traffic, add density or include amenities open to the public.