A Florida appeals court overturned a decision by the Department of Economic Opportunity approving hurricane evacuation plans for the cities of Islamorada and Marathon, finding that the plans violated Florida’s statute requiring a 24-hour hurricane evacuation clearance time for permanent residents.

A three-judge panel for the Third District Court of Appeals for the state of Florida agreed with the appellants, all permanent residents of the Florida Keys, that the department should have denied the comprehensive plan amendments for Islamorada and Marathon due to their improper evacuation model.