The Florida Senate

253.7825  Recreational uses.--

(1)  The Cross Florida Greenways State Recreation and Conservation Area must be managed as a multiple-use area pursuant to s. 253.034(2)(a), and as further provided herein. The University of Florida Management Plan provides a conceptual recreational plan that may ultimately be developed at various locations throughout the greenways corridor. The plan proposes to locate a number of the larger, more comprehensive and complex recreational facilities in sensitive, natural resource areas. Future site-specific studies and investigations must be conducted by the department to determine compatibility with, and potential for adverse impact to, existing natural resources, need for the facility, the availability of other alternative locations with reduced adverse impacts to existing natural resources, and the proper specific sites and locations for the more comprehensive and complex facilities. Furthermore, it is appropriate, with the approval of the department, to allow more fishing docks, boat launches, and other user-oriented facilities to be developed and maintained by local governments.

(2)  In determining appropriate recreational uses of greenways lands, the promotion and development of resources-based activities shall be given priority consideration, although user-oriented activities shall not be arbitrarily prohibited when site-specific studies indicate compatibility of the proposed use with natural or cultural resources.

(3)  For purposes of this section, "user-oriented activities" are those which can be provided in a variety of locations and include such activities as golf, tennis, baseball, archery, target shooting, and playground activities. "Resources-based" activities are dependent on some particular element or combination of elements in the natural or cultural environment and include such activities as fishing, camping, hunting, boating, bicycling, nature study, horseback riding, visiting historical sites, and hiking.

(4)(a)  A horse park-agricultural center may be constructed by or on behalf of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services on not more than 500 acres of former canal lands.

(b)  A multipurpose visitor center may be constructed in conjunction with the horse park-agricultural center on lands dedicated for the horse park-agricultural center.

(c)  Resources-based recreational activities associated with the horse park-agricultural center, including, but not limited to, recreational trails, trails for endurance or competitive riding, steeplechase, and other related activities may be permitted within the greenways boundary. The greenways managing entity shall retain jurisdiction over such activities occurring within the greenways boundary.

(d)  Those activities and structures associated with the horse park-agricultural center which are determined by the greenways managing entity to be inappropriate uses of greenways lands shall be sited on lands outside the greenways boundary.

(e)  The Legislature finds that the proposed horse park-agricultural center constitutes a public-private partnership project entitling the state to share in the profits generated from the horse park-agricultural center, in lieu of the payment of lease fees.

History.--s. 53, ch. 93-213; s. 84, ch. 94-356; s. 5, ch. 97-164; s. 11, ch. 99-247; s. 38, ch. 99-391.