The Florida Senate

380.507  Powers of the trust.--The trust shall have all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes and provisions of this part, including:

(1)  To make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers of the trust.

(2)  To undertake, coordinate, or fund activities and projects which will help bring local comprehensive plans into compliance and help implement the goals, objectives, and policies of the conservation, recreation and open space, and coastal elements of local comprehensive plans, or which will otherwise serve to conserve natural resources and resolve land use conflicts, including, but not limited to:

(a)  Redevelopment projects.

(b)  Resource enhancement projects.

(c)  Public access projects.

(d)  Urban waterfront restoration projects.

(e)  Site reservation.

(f)  Urban greenways and open space projects.

(3)  To provide technical and financial assistance to local governments, state agencies, water management districts, regional planning councils, and nonprofit agencies to carry out projects and activities and develop programs to achieve the purposes of this part.

(4)  To acquire and dispose of real and personal property or any interest therein when necessary or appropriate to protect the natural environment, provide public access or public recreational facilities, preserve wildlife habitat areas, provide access for managing acquired lands, or otherwise carry out the purposes of this part. If the trust acquires land for permanent state ownership, title to such land shall be vested in the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund; otherwise, title to property acquired in partnership with a county or municipality shall vest in the name of the local government. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the trust may enter into an option agreement to purchase lands included in projects approved according to this part, when necessary to reserve lands during the preparation of project plans and during acquisition proceedings. The consideration for an option shall not exceed $100,000.

(5)  To acquire interests in land by means of land exchanges, and to enter into all alternatives to the acquisition of fee interests in land, including the acquisition of conservation easements, life estates, leases, and leaseback arrangements. The trust may accept donations of any interest in land.

(6)  To award grants and make loans to local governments and nonprofit organizations for the purposes listed in subsection (2) and for acquiring fee title and less than fee title, such as conservation easements or other interests in land, for the purposes of this part.

(7)  To provide by grant or loan up to the total cost of any project approved according to this part, including the local share of federally supported projects. The trust may require local funding participation in projects. The trust shall determine the funding it will provide by considering the total amount of funding available for the project, the fiscal resources of other project participants, the urgency of the project relative to other eligible projects, and other factors which the trust shall have prescribed by rule. The trust may fund up to 100 percent of any local government land acquisition costs, if part of an approved project.

(8)  After notification to the local government involved, to undertake or to authorize a nonprofit organization to undertake any project or activity, or portion of a project or activity, approved according to this part, which the local government is unable to undertake or becomes unable to complete.

(9)  To invest any funds held in reserves or sinking funds, or any funds not required for immediate disbursement, in such investments as may be authorized for trust funds under s. 215.47, and in any other authorized investments, if such investments are made on behalf of the trust by the State Board of Administration.

(10)  To contract for and to accept gifts, grants, loans, or other aid from the United States Government or any person or corporation, including gifts of real property or any interest in real property.

(11)  To make rules necessary to carry out the purposes of this part and to exercise any power granted in this part, pursuant to the provisions of chapter 120. The trust shall adopt rules governing the acquisition of lands using proceeds from the Preservation 2000 Trust Fund and the Florida Forever Trust Fund, consistent with the intent expressed in the Florida Forever Act. Such rules for land acquisition must include, but are not limited to, procedures for appraisals and confidentiality consistent with ss. 125.355(1)(a) and (b) and 166.045(1)(a) and (b), a method of determining a maximum purchase price, and procedures to assure that the land is acquired in a voluntarily negotiated transaction, surveyed, conveyed with marketable title, and examined for hazardous materials contamination. Land acquisition procedures of a local land authority created pursuant to s. 380.0663 or s. 380.0677 may be used for the land acquisition programs described by ss. 259.101(3)(c) and 259.105 if within areas of critical state concern designated pursuant to s. 380.05, subject to approval of the trust.

(12)  To contract with private consultants and nonprofit organizations for professional and technical assistance and advice.

(13)  To make and execute agreements, contracts, and other instruments necessary or convenient in the exercise of the powers and functions of the trust under this part, including contracts with any person, firm, corporation, local government, or other entity. The trust may contract for real estate services for the acquisition or disposal of land and may pay reasonable real estate commission fees for such services. All local governments established under the laws of the state may enter into and do all things necessary to perform such contracts and otherwise cooperate with the trust to achieve the purposes of this part.

(14)  To conduct promotional campaigns, including advertising, for the sale of communities trust license plates authorized in s. 320.08058

History.--s. 28, ch. 89-175; s. 2, ch. 90-192; s. 10, ch. 91-192; s. 5, ch. 91-429; s. 68, ch. 93-206; s. 6, ch. 94-212; s. 9, ch. 95-282; s. 21, ch. 96-389; s. 46, ch. 99-247; s. 21, ch. 2000-170.