House Bill 1803

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.







    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

        By Representative C. Green






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the South Trail Fire

  3         Protection and Rescue Service District, Lee

  4         County; providing for codification of special

  5         laws relating to South Trail Fire Protection

  6         and Rescue Service District pursuant to s.

  7         191.015, F.S.; providing legislative intent;

  8         amending, codifying, and reenacting all prior

  9         special acts; providing for codification of all

10         prior special acts, as amended; providing for

11         the creation, status, purpose, and boundaries

12         of the District; providing for amendment to the

13         District boundaries; providing for charter

14         amendments; providing for a governing board;

15         providing for powers and duties, including, but

16         not limited to, those set forth in chapter 191,

17         F.S., and chapter 97-340, Laws of Florida;

18         providing authority to establish rules and

19         regulations; providing for adoption of a fire

20         code; providing authority to levy ad valorem

21         assessments; providing authority for other

22         means of financing for the District; providing

23         for the effect of annexation by the City of

24         Fort Myers; providing construction and effect;

25         providing for severability; providing for

26         repeal of prior special acts; providing an

27         effective date.

28

29  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

30

31

                                  1

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1         Section 1.  (1)  Pursuant to section 191.015, Florida

  2  Statutes, this act constitutes the codification of all special

  3  acts relating to the South Trail Fire Protection and Rescue

  4  Service District.  It is the intent of the Legislature to

  5  provide a single, comprehensive special act charter for the

  6  South Trail Fire Protection and Rescue Service District which

  7  includes all current legislative authority granted to the

  8  District by general law and by its several legislative

  9  enactments, as said laws may be amended from time to time, and

10  any additional authority granted by this act.  It is the

11  further intent of this act to preserve all District authority,

12  including the authority to annually assess and levy against

13  taxable property in the District a tax not to exceed 2 mills

14  on the assessed valuation, except as provided in chapter

15  97-340, Laws of Florida, and chapter 191, Florida Statutes, as

16  may be amended from time to time.

17         (2)  It is the further intent of the Legislature to

18  amend the District's boundaries to incorporate within the

19  geographic boundaries of the District additional land, as

20  described herein, which land is commonly known as Page Field

21  Commons and which land is immediately adjacent to the

22  District's current boundaries and is currently being served by

23  the District under the terms of an interlocal agreement.

24         Section 2.  Chapters 76-412, 81-414, 81-418, 81-419,

25  83-450, 87-447, 88-476, 88-545, 91-364, and 96-501, Laws of

26  Florida, relating to the South Trail Fire Protection and

27  Rescue Service District, are hereby codified, reenacted, and

28  amended as provided herein.

29         Section 3.  The South Trail Fire Protection and Rescue

30  Service District, an independent special district, hereinafter

31

                                  2

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1  referred to as the "District," is re-created and the charter

  2  for such District is re-created and reenacted to read:

  3         Section 1.  The geographic boundaries of the South

  4  Trail Fire Protection and Rescue District shall include the

  5  following described lands:

  6

  7         That part of Lee County, Florida, as described

  8         as follows:

  9

10         In Township 44 South, Range 25 East, that

11         portion of Section 32 lying Southeasterly of

12         the right of way of Colonial Boulevard

13         extension, otherwise known as State Road 82 B,

14         and all of Sections 33 and 34, and in Township

15         45 South, Range 24 East, that portion of

16         Section 11 lying East of the District limits of

17         the Iona-McGregor Fire Protection and Rescue

18         Service District and lying South and East of

19         the city limits of the City of Fort Myers,

20         Florida, that portion of Section 12 not within

21         the boundaries of the Page Field-Lee County

22         Airport (except as specifically provided

23         herein), all of Sections 13, 14, 23, 24, 25,

24         26, 35, 36 and in Township 45 South, Range 25

25         East, all of Sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,

26         15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 30,

27         31, 32, 33 and 34, and less and except that

28         portion of all the above-described lands

29         located within the municipal boundaries of the

30         City of Fort Myers.

31

                                  3

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1         Together with the following described property:

  2

  3         All that portion of Section 31, Township 44

  4         South, Range 26 East which lies southwesterly

  5         of State Road 82.

  6

  7         And:  All that portion of Sections 5 & 6,

  8         Township 45 South, Range 26 East which lies

  9         southwesterly of State Road 82.

10

11         And:  All of Sections 7 and 8, Township 45

12         South, Range 26 East.

13

14         And:  All of Section 17, Township 45 South,

15         Range 26 East, less and except that portion of

16         the southwest quarter (SW 1/4) which lies

17         southeasterly of Daniels Parkway.

18

19         And:  All that portion of Sections 18 & 19,

20         Township 45 South, Range 26 East which lies

21         northwesterly of Daniels Parkway.

22

23         And:  That portion of Section 20, Township 45

24         South, Range 26 East which is more particularly

25         described as follows: Beginning at the

26         southeast corner of the said Section 20; thence

27         S.88°18'45"W. for 2658.71 feet along the south

28         line of the southeast quarter (SE 1/4) of said

29         Section 20 to the south quarter corner of said

30         Section 20; thence N.01°15'38"W. for 2341.40

31         feet; thence N.54°00'00"E. for 3220.85 feet to

                                  4

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1         an intersection with the east line of said

  2         Section 20; thence S.01°25'28"E. for 4157.00

  3         feet to the Point of Beginning.

  4

  5         And:  That portion of Section 29, Township 45

  6         South, Range 26 East which is more particularly

  7         described as follows:  From the east quarter of

  8         said Section 29, thence S.00°01'11"W. for

  9         1201.08 feet along the east line of said

10         Section 29 to the Point of Beginning; thence

11         depart said east line and run S.54°00'06"W. for

12         2902.43 feet through said Section 29 to an

13         intersection with the south line of said

14         Section 29; thence easterly along the south

15         line of said Section 29 to the southeast corner

16         of said Section 29; thence northerly along the

17         east line of said Section 29 to the Point of

18         Beginning.

19

20         And:  That portion of Section 30, Township 45

21         South, Range 26 East which is more particularly

22         described as follows:  Beginning at the

23         southwest corner of said Section 30; thence

24         N.00°50'50"W. for 1889.08 feet; thence

25         N.54°00'00"E. for 1119.11 feet to the easterly

26         line of a 100 foot wide roadway and public

27         utility right-of-way (ROW) as described in deed

28         recorded in Official Records Book 1398 at Page

29         2143, Public Records of Lee County, Florida;

30         thence run along the east line of said roadway

31         and public utility ROW the following courses

                                  5

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1         and distances; S.00°51'02"E. for 2533.16 feet;

  2         S.00°51'53"E. for 119.91 feet to the south line

  3         of said Section 30: thence westerly along the

  4         said south line of said Section 30 to the Point

  5         of Beginning.

  6

  7         And:  All that portion of Section 31, Township

  8         45 South, Range 26 East which lies westerly of

  9         the easterly line of a 100 foot wide roadway

10         and public utility right-of-way (ROW) as

11         described in the deed recorded in Official

12         Records Book 1398 at Page 2143, Public Records

13         of Lee County, Florida.

14

15         And:  All of Section 1, Township 45 South,

16         Range 25 East, less and except the westerly

17         1709.78 feet of said Section 1.

18

19         And:  All of Section 11, Township 45 South,

20         Range 25 East, less and except the northwest

21         quarter (NW 1/4) of said Section 11.

22

23         And:  All of Sections 12, 13, and 14, Township

24         45 South, Range 25 East.

25

26         And:  All of Section 23, Township 45 South,

27         Range 25 East, less and except the following

28         described parcel:  From the northeast corner of

29         said Section 23, thence S.00°17'50"E. for

30         2073.11 feet along the east line of the

31         northeast quarter (NE 1/4) of said Section 23

                                  6

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1         to the Point of Beginning:  thence continue

  2         along said east line S.00°17'50"E. for 557.70

  3         feet to the east quarter corner of said Section

  4         23; thence S.01°05'16"E. for 2644.46 feet along

  5         the east line of the southeast quarter (SE 1/4)

  6         to the southeast corner of said Section 23:

  7         thence S.88°05'55"W. for 675.73 feet along the

  8         south line of said Section 23; thence

  9         N.01°04'08"W. for 2544.53 feet; thence

10         S.88°06'12"W. for 2717.58 feet; thence

11         S.83°46'46"W. for 418.33 feet; thence N.

12         00°36'27"W. for 199.98 feet; thence

13         N.83°46'46"E. for 418.33 feet; thence

14         N.88°06'12"E. for 2041.84 feet; thence

15         N.00°39'21"W. for 55.70 feet; thence

16         N.88°06'12" for 155.55 feet; thence

17         N.54°36'12"E. for 729.32 feet; thence

18         N.88°10'25"E. for 598.20 feet to the Point of

19         Beginning.

20

21         And:  All that portion of Section 24, Township

22         45 South, Range 25 East which lies northerly of

23         Daniels Parkway.

24

25         And:  That portion of Section 26, Township 45

26         South, Range 25 East which is more particularly

27         described as follows: The West half (W 1/2) of

28         the West half (W 1/2); and the northeast

29         quarter (NE 1/4) of the northwest quarter (NW

30         1/4).

31

                                  7

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1         And:  That portion of Section 35, Township 45

  2         South, Range 25 East which is more particularly

  3         described as follows: The West half (W 1/2) of

  4         the West half (W 1/2).

  5

  6         And:  That portion of Section 36, Township 45

  7         South, Range 25 East which is more particularly

  8         described as follows:  Beginning at the

  9         northeast corner of said Section 36; thence

10         S.00°52'30"E. for 2643.76 feet along the east

11         line of the northeast quarter (NE 1/4) of said

12         Section 36 to the east quarter corner of said

13         Section 36; thence S.00°57'40"E. for 2645.22

14         feet along the east line of the southeast

15         quarter (SE 1/4) of said Section 36 to the

16         southeast corner of said Section 36; thence

17         S.89°08'14"W. for 2643.68 feet along the south

18         line of the southeast quarter (SE 1/4) of said

19         Section 36 to the south quarter of said Section

20         36: thence S.89°08'14"W. for 2643.68 feet along

21         the south line of the southwest quarter (SW

22         1/4) of said Section 36 to the southwest corner

23         of said Section 36; thence N.00°25'56"W. for

24         1344.37 feet along the West line of the

25         southwest quarter of said Section 36; thence

26         N.89°22'24"E. for 1319.01 feet; thence

27         N.00°33'08"W. for 3068.39 feet; thence

28         N.54°00'00"E. for 1608.76 feet to an

29         intersection with the north line of said

30         Section 36; thence S.89°53'50"E. for 2621.29

31

                                  8

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1         feet along said north line of said Section 36

  2         to the Point of Beginning.

  3

  4         A parcel or tract of land lying in Section 12,

  5         Township 45 South, Range 24 East, Lee County,

  6         Florida, and being more particularly described

  7         as follows:

  8

  9         Commence at the northwest corner of Section 12,

10         Township 45 South, Range 24 East; thence N

11         89°44'43"E along the north line of the

12         Northwest Quarter (NW 1/4) of said Section 12 a

13         distance of 33.00 feet to the Point of

14         Beginning of the herein described parcel.

15

16         From said Point of Beginning thence S00°30'07"

17         W, parallel with and offset 33.00 feet east

18         from the west line of the Northwest Quarter (NW

19         1/4) of said Section 12, a distance of 66.27

20         feet to an intersection with the south

21         right-of-way line of the Fowler Street

22         Extension and the east right-of-way line of

23         U.S. 41 (State Road 45-Tamiami Trail); (the

24         following six (6) courses are along the east

25         right-of-way of U.S. 41 (State Road 45-Tamiami

26         Trail):  thence continue S00°30'07"W a distance

27         of 788.69 feet; thence S45°24'36"E a distance

28         of 53.94 feet; thence S83°55'07" W a distance

29         of 39.00 feet; thence S00°30'07"W a distance of

30         47.42 feet; thence N89°39'14"E a distance of

31         35.00 feet; thence S00°30'07"W a distance of

                                  9

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1         1114.87 feet to an intersection with the north

  2         right-of-way line of Danley Drive; (the

  3         following three (3) courses are along the north

  4         line of Danley Drive): thence N89°30'55"E a

  5         distance of 16.50 feet; thence S 00°30'07" W a

  6         distance of 9.99 feet; thence N89°32'17"E a

  7         distance of 23.51 feet; thence N00°30'07"E a

  8         distance of 1196.13 feet; thence N45°24'36" W a

  9         distance of 48.72 feet; thence N00°30'07" E a

10         distance of 838.23 feet to an intersection with

11         the north line of the Northwest Quarter

12         (NW-1/4) of said Section 12; thence N89°48'16"W

13         along the aforementioned north line a distance

14         of 40.00 feet to the Point of Beginning.

15

16         Said parcel contains 1.948 acres, more or less.

17

18         Together with:

19

20         A parcel or tract of land lying in Section 1,

21         Township 45 South, Range 24 East, Lee County,

22         Florida, and being more particularly described

23         as follows:

24

25         Commence at the southwest corner of Section 1,

26         Township 45 South, Range 24 East; thence

27         N89°44'43"E along the south line of the

28         Southwest Quarter (SW-1/4) of said Section 1, a

29         distance of 33.00 feet to the Point of

30         Beginning of the herein described parcel.

31

                                  10

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1         From said Point of Beginning, thence N00°06'40"

  2         W, parallel with and offset 33.00 feet east

  3         from the west line of the Southwest Quarter

  4         (SW-1/4) of said Section 1, a distance of

  5         203.68 feet to an intersection with the

  6         southern boundary of the tract known as Page

  7         Field Commons; thence S45°59'18"E along the

  8         southern boundary of Page Field Commons a

  9         distance of 55.72 feet; thence S00°06'40"E

10         parallel with and offset 73.00 feet east from

11         the aforementioned west line of the Southwest

12         Quarter (SW-1/4) of Section 1 a distance of

13         165.10 feet; thence N89°48'16" W a distance of

14         40.00 feet to the Point of Beginning.

15

16         Said parcel contains 7,376 square feet, more or

17         less.

18

19         Together with:

20

21         A tract or parcel of land lying in Section 1,

22         Township 45 South, Range 24 East, Lee County,

23         Florida, commonly known as Page Field Commons,

24         which tract or parcel is described as follows:

25

26         From the southwest corner of said Section 1,

27         run N00°06'40"W along the West line of said

28         Section for 203.76 feet; thence run N89°53'20"E

29         (perpendicular to said section line) for 33.00

30         feet to the East line of State Road 45 (U.S.

31

                                  11

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1         41) (Tamiami Trail) and the Point of Beginning

  2         of the herein described parcel.

  3

  4         From said Point of Beginning run N00°06'40"W

  5         along said East line for 2399.68 feet; thence

  6         run N89°20'39"E for 696.11 feet to a West line

  7         of Fowler Street Extension (Official Record

  8         Book 2688, Page 1581, Lee County Records;

  9         thence run southerly along said west line along

10         the arc of a curve to the left of radius

11         1017.93 feet (delta 00°38'34") (chord bearing

12         S12°01'52"E) (chord 11.42 feet) for 11.42 feet

13         to a point of tangency; thence run S12°21'09"E

14         along said west line of Fowler Street for

15         1182.45 feet to a point of curvature; thence

16         run southerly and southwesterly along the arc

17         of a curve to the right of radius 1082.92 feet

18         (delta 61°48'25") (chord bearing S18°33'04"W)

19         (chord 1112.36 feet) for 1168.18 feet; thence

20         run S53°48'02"W for 97.76 feet; thence run

21         southwesterly along the arc of curve to the

22         right of radius 1079.92 feet (delta 14°32'14")

23         (chord bearing S61°54'07"W) (chord 273.26 feet)

24         for 274.00 feet; thence run S85°05'58"W for

25         47.25 feet; thence run southwesterly along the

26         arc of a curve to the right of radius 1067.92

27         feet (delta 00°54'28") (chord bearing

28         S72°03'46"W) (chord 16.92 feet) for 16.92 feet

29         to a point of tangency; thence run S72°31'00"W

30         for 158.58 feet; thence run N45°59'18"W for

31         81.31 feet to the Point of Beginning.

                                  12

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1

  2         Containing 45.38 acres, more or less.

  3

  4         Bearings hereinabove mentioned are based on

  5         assuming the south line of Section 1, Township

  6         45 South, Range 24 East bears N89°44'31"E.

  7         Section 2.  Nothing contained herein shall deny the

  8  right of the Chief or other governing officials of the

  9  District to render such services to communities adjacent to

10  the lands described herein, or such other places as from time

11  to time may be deemed desirable.

12         Section 3.  (1)  The District shall be governed by a

13  board (the "Board") which shall consist of five (5) resident

14  electors of the District elected by a vote of the electors of

15  the District according to the procedures set forth in chapter

16  191, Florida Statutes, and chapter 97-340, Laws of Florida, as

17  well as other general laws and special laws, as said laws may

18  be amended from time to time.

19         (2)  Notwithstanding any provision of general law or

20  special law to the contrary, any Board member of the District

21  may be removed from office pursuant to recall election.  The

22  procedure for conducting a recall election shall be the same

23  as for conducting a municipal recall election pursuant to

24  section 100.361, Florida Statutes, as may be amended from time

25  to time.

26         (3)  Annually, or within sixty (60) days after the

27  election of members of the Board, the members shall meet and

28  elect from the membership a chair, a vice-chair, a secretary,

29  and a treasurer; provided, however, the same member may be

30  both secretary and treasurer.  The District shall have all of

31  the duties and the Board may exercise those general and

                                  13

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1  special powers provided in chapters 189 and 191, Florida

  2  Statutes, chapter 97-340, Laws of Florida, and any other

  3  applicable general law or special law, as said laws may be

  4  amended from time to time.

  5         (4)  The Board may employ such personnel as deemed

  6  necessary for the proper function and operation of the fire

  7  department and establish and maintain emergency medical and

  8  rescue response services and acquire and maintain rescue,

  9  medical, and other emergency equipment as prescribed by

10  general law and special law, as said laws may be amended from

11  time to time.  The salaries of District personnel and other

12  wages shall be determined by the Board.

13         (5)  The Board is authorized to make and adopt rules

14  and regulations not inconsistent with this act or any general

15  law or local law, as may be amended from time to time, as it

16  may deem necessary for the transaction of its business and

17  implementing and carrying out the provisions of this act.

18  Such rules and regulations shall be adopted in accordance with

19  applicable general law and special law, as may be amended from

20  time to time.  The Board shall have the authority to provide

21  all things necessary for the prevention, extinguishment, and

22  control of fires in the District.

23         (6)  The Board is authorized to adopt a fire code not

24  inconsistent with general law or local law.

25         Section 4.  (1)  The District shall have the right,

26  power, and authority to levy millage tax against taxable

27  property within the District to provide funds for the purpose

28  of the District; provided, however, two (2) mills is the

29  maximum that can be levied in any one (1) year, except as

30  provided in chapter 191, Florida Statutes, chapter 97-340,

31

                                  14

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1  Laws of Florida, or any other applicable general law or

  2  special law, as said laws may be amended from time to time.

  3         (2)  Taxes and assessments herein provided for shall be

  4  assessed and collected in the manner prescribed by  applicable

  5  general law or special law, as said laws may be amended from

  6  time to time.

  7         (3)  The District may be financed by any method

  8  established by this act, chapter 189, Florida Statutes,

  9  chapter 191, Florida Statutes, or chapter 97-340, Laws of

10  Florida, as may be amended from time to time.

11         Section 5.  Beginning on the effective date of this

12  act, any properties that may be annexed by the City of Fort

13  Myers and located within the District shall remain the

14  responsibility of the District until January 1 of the

15  following year, at which time the City shall assume the

16  responsibility for fire control and such property shall no

17  longer be a part of, or subject to, the taxing authority of

18  the fire control taxing District.  The municipal governing

19  authority shall enter into an agreement to purchase, lease, or

20  maintain real property and equipment of the District, if it is

21  located within the area so annexed.  Such agreement shall be

22  reached by negotiated settlement.  Should the City and the

23  fire control taxing District not be able to reach a negotiated

24  settlement, then the City shall have eminent domain authority

25  for all real property owned by the fire control District and

26  annexed by the City.  The presently appointed or elected

27  commissioners of the District who reside within the areas

28  annexed by the City of Fort Myers shall continue to serve as

29  the commissioners of the District until the local governing

30  authority assumes responsibility for the lands so annexed.

31

                                  15

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1803

    705-129B-00






  1         Section 4.  This act shall be construed as a remedial

  2  act and shall be liberally construed to promote the purpose

  3  for which it is intended which is a codification, reenactment,

  4  amendment, and repeal of the several legislative enactments of

  5  the District.

  6         Section 5.  If any clause, section, or provision of

  7  this act is declared unconstitutional or invalid for any cause

  8  or reason, it shall be eliminated from this act, and the

  9  remaining portion of the act shall remain in full force and

10  effect as if said unconstitutional or invalid portion had not

11  been incorporated herein.

12         Section 6.  Chapters 76-412, 81-414, 81-418, 81-419,

13  83-450, 87-447, 88-476, 88-545, 91-364, and 96-501, Laws of

14  Florida, as said laws relate to the District, are repealed.

15         Section 7.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

16  law.

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

                                  16