The Florida Senate

582.20  Powers of districts and supervisors.--A soil and water conservation district organized under the provisions of this chapter shall constitute a governmental subdivision of this state, and a public body corporate and politic, exercising public powers, and such district and the supervisors thereof, shall have the following powers, in addition to others granted in other sections of this chapter:

(1)  To conduct surveys, investigations, and research relating to the character of soil erosion and floodwater and sediment damages, to the conservation, development and utilization of soil and water resources and the disposal of water, and to the preventive and control measures and works of improvement needed; to publish the results of such surveys, investigations, or research; and to disseminate information concerning such preventive and control measures and works of improvement; provided, however, that in order to avoid duplication of research activities, no district shall initiate any research program except in cooperation with the government of this state or any of its agencies, or with the United States or any of its agencies;

(2)  To conduct demonstrational projects within the district on lands owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, with the cooperation of the agency administering and having jurisdiction thereof, and on any other lands within the district upon obtaining the consent of the owner and occupiers of such lands or the necessary rights or interests in such lands, in order to demonstrate by example the means, methods, and measures by which soil and soil resources may be conserved, and soil erosion in the form of soil blowing and soil washing may be prevented and controlled, and works of improvement for flood prevention or the conservation, development and utilization of soil and water resources, and the disposal of water may be carried out;

(3)  To carry out preventive and control measures and works of improvement for flood prevention or the conservation, development and utilization of soil and water resources, and the disposal of water within the district, including, but not limited to, engineering operations, methods of cultivation, the growing of vegetation, changes in use of land, and the measures listed in s. 582.04 on lands owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, with the cooperation of the agency administering and having jurisdiction thereof, and on any other lands within the district upon obtaining the consent of the owner and the occupiers of such lands or the necessary rights or interests in such lands;

(4)  To cooperate, or enter into agreements with, and within the limits of appropriations duly made available to it by law, to furnish financial or other aid to, any agency, governmental or otherwise, or any owner or occupier of lands within the district, in the carrying on of erosion control or prevention operations and works of improvement for flood prevention or the conservation, development and utilization, of soil and water resources and the disposal of water within the district, subject to such conditions as the supervisors may deem necessary to advance the purposes of this chapter;

(5)  To obtain options upon and to acquire, by purchase, exchange, lease, gift, grant, bequest, devise or otherwise, any property, real or personal, or rights or interests therein; to maintain, administer, and improve any properties acquired, to receive income from such properties and to expend such income in carrying out the purposes and provisions of this chapter; and to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of any of its property or interests therein in furtherance of the purposes and the provisions of this chapter;

(6)  To make available, on such terms as it shall prescribe, to landowners and occupiers within the district, agricultural and engineering machinery and equipment, fertilizer, seeds and seedlings, and such other material or equipment, as will assist such landowners and occupiers to carry on operations upon their lands for the conservation of soil resources and for the prevention or control of soil erosion and for flood prevention or the conservation, development and utilization, of soil and water resources and the disposal of water;

(7)  To construct, improve, operate and maintain such structures as may be necessary or convenient for the performance of any of the operations authorized in this chapter;

(8)  To develop comprehensive plans for the conservation of soil and water resources and for the control and prevention of soil erosion and for flood prevention or the conservation, development and utilization of soil and water resources, and the disposal of water within the district, which plans shall specify in such detail as may be possible the acts, procedures, performances, and avoidances which are necessary or desirable for the effectuation of such plans, including the specification of engineering operations, methods of cultivation, the growing of vegetation, cropping programs, tillage practices, and changes in use of land; control of artesian wells; and to publish such plans and information and bring them to the attention of owners and occupiers of lands within the district;

(9)  To take over, by purchase, lease, or otherwise, and to administer any soil-conservation, erosion-control, erosion-prevention project, or any project for flood-prevention or for the conservation, development and utilization of soil and water resources, and the disposal of water, located within its boundaries undertaken by the United States or any of its agencies, or by this state or any of its agencies; to manage as agent of the United States or any of its agencies, or of the state or any of its agencies, any soil-conservation, erosion-control, erosion-prevention, or any project for flood-prevention or for the conservation, development, and utilization of soil and water resources, and the disposal of water within its boundaries; to act as agent for the United States, or any of its agencies, or for the state or any of its agencies, in connection with the acquisition, construction, operation or administration of any soil-conservation, erosion-control, erosion-prevention, or any project for flood-prevention or for the conservation, development and utilization of soil and water resources, and the disposal of water within its boundaries; to accept donations, gifts, and contributions in money, services, materials, or otherwise, from the United States or any of its agencies, or from this state or any of its agencies, or from others, and to use or expend such moneys, services, materials or other contributions in carrying on its operations;

(10)  To sue and be sued in the name of the district; to have a seal, which seal shall be judicially noticed; to have perpetual succession unless terminated as provided in this chapter; to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers; upon a majority vote of the supervisors of the district, to borrow money and to execute promissory notes and other evidences of indebtedness in connection therewith, and to pledge, mortgage, and assign the income of the district and its personal property as security therefor, the notes and other evidences of indebtedness to be general obligations only of the district and in no event to constitute an indebtedness for which the faith and credit of the state or any of its revenues are pledged; to make, amend, and repeal rules and regulations not inconsistent with this chapter to carry into effect its purposes and powers.

(11)  As a condition to the extending of any benefits under this chapter to, or the performance of work upon, any lands not owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, the supervisors may require contributions in money, services, materials, or otherwise to any operations conferring such benefits, and may require landowners and occupiers to enter into and perform such agreements or covenants as to the permanent use of such lands as will tend to prevent or control erosion and prevent floodwater and sediment damages thereon;

(12)  No provisions with respect to the acquisition, operation, or disposition of property by public bodies of this state shall be applicable to a district organized hereunder unless the Legislature shall specifically so state. The property and property rights of every kind and nature acquired by any district organized under the provisions of this chapter shall be exempt from state, county, and other taxation.

History.--s. 8, ch. 18144, 1937; CGL 1940 Supp. 4151(479); s. 7, ch. 22858, 1945; s. 2, ch. 65-334; s. 3, ch. 67-207; s. 5, ch. 69-235.