The Florida Senate

260.0142  Florida Greenways and Trails Council; composition; powers and duties.--

(1)  There is hereby created within the Department of Environmental Protection the Florida Greenways and Trails Council which shall advise the department in the execution of the department's powers and duties under this chapter. The council shall be composed of 21 members, consisting of:

(a)  Five members appointed by the Governor, with two members representing the trail user community, two members representing the greenway user community, and one member representing private landowners. Of the initial appointments, two shall be appointed for 2-year terms and three shall be appointed for 1-year terms. Subsequent appointments shall be for 2-year terms.

(b)  Three members appointed by the President of the Senate, with one member representing the trail user community and two members representing the greenway user community. Of the initial appointments, two shall be appointed for 2-year terms and one shall be appointed for a 1-year term. Subsequent appointments shall be for 2-year terms.

(c)  Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, with two members representing the trail user community and one member representing the greenway user community. Of the initial appointments, two shall be appointed for 2-year terms and one shall be appointed for a 1-year term. Subsequent appointments shall be for 2-year terms.


Those eligible to represent the trail user community shall be chosen from, but not be limited to, paved trail users, hikers, off-road bicyclists, paddlers, equestrians, disabled outdoor recreational users, and commercial recreational interests. Those eligible to represent the greenway user community shall be chosen from, but not be limited to, conservation organizations, nature study organizations, and scientists and university experts.

(d)  The 10 remaining members shall include:

1.  The Secretary of Environmental Protection or a designee;

2.  The executive director of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or a designee;

3.  The Secretary of Community Affairs or a designee;

4.  The Secretary of Transportation or a designee;

5.  The Director of the Division of Forestry of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or a designee;

6.  The director of the Division of Historical Resources of the Department of State or a designee;

7.  A representative of the water management districts who shall serve for 1 year. Membership on the council shall rotate among the five districts. The districts shall determine the order of rotation;

8.  A representative of a federal land management agency. The Secretary of Environmental Protection shall identify the appropriate federal agency and request designation of a representative from the agency to serve on the council;

9.  A representative of the regional planning councils to be appointed by the Secretary of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Secretary of Community Affairs, for a single 2-year term. The representative shall not be selected from the same regional planning council for successive terms; and

10.  A representative of local governments to be appointed by the Secretary of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Secretary of Community Affairs, for a single 2-year term. Membership shall alternate between a county representative and a municipal representative.

(2)  The department shall provide necessary staff assistance to the council.

(3)  The council is authorized to contract for and to accept gifts, grants, or other aid from the United States Government or any person or corporation.

(4)  The duties of the council shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a)  Advise the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Community Affairs, the Department of Transportation, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Division of Forestry of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the water management districts, and the regional planning councils on policies relating to the Florida Greenways and Trails System, and promote intergovernmental cooperation;

(b)  Facilitate a statewide system of interconnected landscape linkages, conservation corridors, greenbelts, recreational corridors and trails, scenic corridors, utilitarian corridors, reserves, regional parks and preserves, ecological sites, and cultural/historic/recreational sites;

(c)  Facilitate a statewide system of interconnected land-based trails that connect urban, suburban, and rural areas of the state and facilitate expansion of the statewide system of freshwater and saltwater paddling trails;

(d)  Recommend priorities for critical links in the Florida Greenways and Trails System;

(e)  Review applications for acquisition funding under the Florida Greenways and Trails Program and recommend to the Secretary of Environmental Protection which projects should be acquired;

(f)  Provide funding recommendations to agencies and organizations regarding the acquisition, development, and management of greenways and trails, including the promotion of private landowner incentives;

(g)  Review designation proposals for inclusion in the Florida Greenways and Trails System;

(h)  Provide advocacy and education to benefit the statewide system of greenways and trails by encouraging communication and conferencing;

(i)  Encourage public-private partnerships to develop and manage greenways and trails;

(j)  Review progress toward meeting established benchmarks and recommend appropriate action;

(k)  Make recommendations for updating and revising the implementation plan for the Florida Greenways and Trails System;

(l)  Advise the Land Acquisition and Management Advisory Council or its successor to ensure the incorporation of greenways and trails in land management plans on lands managed by the Department of Environmental Protection, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Division of Historical Resources of the Department of State, and the Division of Forestry of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services;

(m)  Provide advice and assistance to the Department of Transportation and the water management districts regarding the incorporation of greenways and trails into their planning efforts;

(n)  Encourage land use, environmental, and coordinated linear infrastructure planning to facilitate the implementation of local, regional, and statewide greenways and trails systems;

(o)  Promote greenways and trails support organizations; and

(p)  Support the Florida Greenways and Trails System in any other appropriate way.

(5)  The council shall establish procedures for conducting its affairs in execution of the duties and responsibilities stated in this section, which operating procedures shall include determination of a council chair and other appropriate operational guidelines. The council shall meet at the call of the chair, or at such times as may be prescribed by its operating procedures. The council may establish committees to conduct the work of the council and the committees may include nonmembers as appropriate.

(6)  A vacancy on the council shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment. Members whose terms have expired may continue to serve until replaced or reappointed. No member shall serve on the council for more than two consecutive terms.

(7)  Members of the council shall not receive any compensation for their services but shall be entitled to receive reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, as provided in s. 112.061

History.--s. 25, ch. 99-247.