House Bill hb0715e1

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                                    CS/HB 715, First Engrossed/ntc



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to transportation; creating s.

  3         70.20, F.S.; providing for a process for

  4         governmental entities and sign owners to enter

  5         into relocation and reconstruction agreements

  6         related to outdoor advertising signs; defining

  7         "relocation and reconstruction agreement";

  8         providing for compensation to sign owners under

  9         certain conditions; requiring a study by the

10         Office of Program Policy Analysis and

11         Government Accountability and requiring a

12         report to the Legislature; amending s.

13         163.3180, F.S.; extending the period within

14         which certain transportation facilities needed

15         to serve new development must be in place or

16         under actual construction; amending s. 334.044,

17         F.S.; authorizing the Department of

18         Transportation to expend funds to promote

19         scenic highways; authorizing the department to

20         delegate to other governmental entities the

21         authority to issue drainage permits under

22         certain circumstances; amending s. 339.135,

23         F.S.; providing a 5-year commitment for

24         projects on the Florida Intrastate Highway

25         System; amending s. 479.15, F.S.; defining

26         "federal-aid primary highway system" for

27         purposes of provisions governing the alteration

28         of certain lawfully erected signs; creating s.

29         479.25, F.S.; authorizing local governments to

30         enter into agreements with the department which

31


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                                    CS/HB 715, First Engrossed/ntc



  1         allow outdoor signs to be erected above sound

  2         barriers; providing an effective date.

  3

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

  5

  6         Section 1.  Section 70.20, Florida Statutes, is created

  7  to read:

  8         70.20  Balancing of interests.--It is a policy of this

  9  state to encourage municipalities, counties, and other

10  governmental entities and sign owners to enter into relocation

11  and reconstruction agreements that allow governmental entities

12  to undertake public projects and accomplish public goals

13  without the expenditure of public funds while allowing the

14  continued maintenance of private investment in signage as a

15  medium of commercial and noncommercial communication.

16         (1)  Municipalities, counties, and all other

17  governmental entities are specifically empowered to enter into

18  relocation and reconstruction agreements on whatever terms are

19  agreeable to the sign owner and the municipality, county, or

20  other governmental entity involved and to provide for

21  relocation and reconstruction of signs by agreement,

22  ordinance, or resolution.  As used in this section, a

23  "relocation and reconstruction agreement" means a consensual,

24  contractual agreement between a sign owner and a municipality,

25  county, or other governmental entity for either the

26  reconstruction of an existing sign or the removal of a sign

27  and construction of a new sign to substitute for the sign

28  removed.

29         (2)  Except as otherwise provided in this section, no

30  municipality, county, or other governmental entity may remove,

31  or cause to be removed, any lawfully erected sign located


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                                    CS/HB 715, First Engrossed/ntc



  1  along any portion of the interstate, federal-aid primary or

  2  other highway system, or any other road without first paying

  3  just compensation for such removal as determined by agreement

  4  between the parties or through eminent domain proceedings.

  5  Except as otherwise provided in this section, no municipality,

  6  county, or other governmental entity may cause in any way the

  7  alteration of any lawfully erected sign located along any

  8  portion of the interstate, federal-aid primary or other

  9  highway system, or any other road without first paying just

10  compensation for such alteration as determined by agreement

11  between the parties or through eminent domain proceedings. The

12  provisions of this section shall not apply to any ordinance

13  the validity, constitutionality, and enforceability of which

14  the owner has by written agreement waived all right to

15  challenge.

16         (3)  In the event that a municipality, county, or other

17  governmental entity undertakes a public project or public goal

18  requiring alteration or removal of any lawfully erected sign,

19  the municipality, county, or other governmental entity shall

20  notify the owner of the affected sign in writing of the public

21  project or goal and of the intention of the municipality,

22  county, or other governmental entity to seek such alteration

23  or removal.  Within 30 days after receipt of the notice, the

24  owner of the sign and the municipality, county, or other

25  governmental entity shall attempt to meet for purposes of

26  negotiating and executing a relocation and reconstruction

27  agreement as provided for in subsection (1).

28         (4)  If the parties fail to enter into a relocation and

29  reconstruction agreement within 120 days after the initial

30  notification by the municipality, county, or other

31  governmental entity, either party may request mandatory


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                                    CS/HB 715, First Engrossed/ntc



  1  nonbinding arbitration to resolve the disagreements between

  2  the parties.  Each party shall select an arbitrator, and the

  3  individuals so selected shall choose a third arbitrator.  The

  4  three arbitrators shall constitute the panel that shall

  5  arbitrate the dispute between the parties and, at the

  6  conclusion of the proceedings, shall present to the parties a

  7  proposed relocation and reconstruction agreement that the

  8  panel believes equitably balances the rights, interests,

  9  obligations, and reasonable expectations of the parties.  If

10  the municipality, county, or other governmental entity and the

11  sign owner accept the proposed relocation and reconstruction

12  agreement, the municipality, county, or other governmental

13  entity and the sign owner shall each pay its respective costs

14  of arbitration and shall pay one-half of the costs of the

15  arbitration panel, unless the parties otherwise agree.

16         (5)  If the parties do not enter into a relocation and

17  reconstruction agreement, the municipality, county, or other

18  governmental entity may proceed with the public project or

19  purpose and the alteration or removal of the sign only after

20  first paying just compensation for such alteration or removal

21  as determined by agreement between the parties or through

22  eminent domain proceedings.

23         (6)  The requirement by a municipality, county, or

24  other governmental entity that a lawfully erected sign be

25  removed or altered as a condition precedent to the issuance or

26  continued effectiveness of a development order constitutes a

27  compelled removal that is prohibited without prior payment of

28  just compensation under subsection (2).  This subsection shall

29  not apply when the owner of the land on which the sign is

30  located is seeking to have the property redesignated on the

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                                    CS/HB 715, First Engrossed/ntc



  1  future land use map of the applicable comprehensive plan for

  2  exclusively single-family residential use.

  3         (7)  The requirement by a municipality, county, or

  4  other governmental entity that a lawfully erected sign be

  5  altered or removed from the premises upon which it is located

  6  incident to the voluntary acquisition of such property by a

  7  municipality, county, or other governmental entity constitutes

  8  a compelled removal that is prohibited without payment of just

  9  compensation under subsection (2).

10         (8)  Nothing in this section shall prevent a

11  municipality, county, or other governmental entity from

12  acquiring a lawfully erected sign through eminent domain or

13  from prospectively regulating the placement, size, height, or

14  other aspects of new signs within such entity's jurisdiction,

15  including the prohibition of new signs, unless otherwise

16  authorized pursuant to this section.  Nothing in this section

17  shall impair any ordinance or provision of any ordinance not

18  inconsistent with this section, including a provision that

19  creates a ban or partial ban on new signs, nor shall this

20  section create any new rights for any party other than the

21  owner of a sign, the owner of the land upon which it is

22  located, or a municipality, county, or other governmental

23  entity as expressed in this section.

24         (9)  This section applies only to a lawfully erected

25  sign the subject matter of which relates to premises other

26  than the premises on which it is located or to merchandise,

27  services, activities, or entertainment not sold, produced,

28  manufactured, or furnished on the premises on which the sign

29  is located.

30         (10)  This section shall not apply to any actions taken

31  by the Department of Transportation that relate to the


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                                    CS/HB 715, First Engrossed/ntc



  1  operation, maintenance, or expansion of transportation

  2  facilities, and this section shall not affect existing law

  3  regarding eminent domain relating to the Department of

  4  Transportation.

  5         (11)  Nothing in this section shall impair or affect

  6  any written agreement existing prior to the effective date of

  7  this act, including, but not limited to, any settlement

  8  agreements reliant upon the legality or enforceability of

  9  local ordinances. The provisions of this section shall not

10  apply to any signs that are required to be removed by a date

11  certain in areas designated by local ordinance as view

12  corridors if the local ordinance creating the view corridors

13  was enacted in part to effectuate a consensual agreement

14  between the local government and two or more sign owners prior

15  to the effective date of this act, nor shall the provisions of

16  this section apply to any signs that are the subject of an

17  ordinance providing an amortization period, which period has

18  expired, and which ordinance is the subject of judicial

19  proceedings that were commenced on or before January 1, 2001,

20  nor shall this section apply to any municipality with an

21  ordinance that prohibits billboards and has two or fewer

22  billboards located within its current boundaries or its future

23  annexed properties.

24         (12)  Subsection (6) shall not apply when the

25  development order permits construction of a replacement sign

26  that cannot be erected without the removal of the lawfully

27  erected sign being replaced.

28         (13)  Effective upon this section becoming a law, the

29  Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government

30  Accountability, in consultation with the property appraisers

31  and the affected private-sector parties, shall conduct a study


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                                    CS/HB 715, First Engrossed/ntc



  1  of the value of offsite signs in relation to, and in

  2  comparison with, the valuation of other commercial properties

  3  for ad valorem tax purposes, including a comparison of tax

  4  valuations from other states. The Office of Program Policy

  5  Analysis and Government Accountability shall complete the

  6  study by December 31, 2002, and shall report the results of

  7  the study to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of

  8  the House of Representatives.

  9         Section 2.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section

10  163.3180, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

11         163.3180  Concurrency.--

12         (2)

13         (c)  Consistent with the public welfare, and except as

14  otherwise provided in this section, transportation facilities

15  designated as part of the Florida Intrastate Highway System

16  needed to serve new development shall be in place or under

17  actual construction not more than 5 years after issuance by

18  the local government of a certificate of occupancy or its

19  functional equivalent. Other transportation facilities needed

20  to serve new development shall be in place or under actual

21  construction no more than 3 years after issuance by the local

22  government of a certificate of occupancy or its functional

23  equivalent.

24         Section 3.  Subsection (5) and paragraph (b) of

25  subsection (15) of section 334.044, Florida Statutes, are

26  amended to read:

27         334.044  Department; powers and duties.--The department

28  shall have the following general powers and duties:

29         (5)  To purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire property

30  and materials, including the purchase of promotional items as

31  part of public information and education campaigns for the


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                                    CS/HB 715, First Engrossed/ntc



  1  promotion of scenic highways, traffic and train safety

  2  awareness, alternatives to single-occupant vehicle travel, and

  3  commercial motor vehicle safety; to purchase, lease, or

  4  otherwise acquire equipment and supplies; and to sell,

  5  exchange, or otherwise dispose of any property that is no

  6  longer needed by the department.

  7         (15)  To regulate and prescribe conditions for the

  8  transfer of stormwater to the state right-of-way as a result

  9  of manmade changes to adjacent properties.

10         (b)  The department is specifically authorized to adopt

11  rules which set forth the purpose; necessary definitions;

12  permit exceptions; permit and assurance requirements; permit

13  application procedures; permit forms; general conditions for a

14  drainage permit; provisions for suspension or revocation of a

15  permit; and provisions for department recovery of fines,

16  penalties, and costs incurred due to permittee actions.  In

17  order to avoid duplication and overlap with other units of

18  government, the department shall accept a surface water

19  management permit issued by a water management district, the

20  Department of Environmental Protection, a surface water

21  management permit issued by a delegated local government, or a

22  permit issued pursuant to an approved Stormwater Management

23  Plan or Master Drainage Plan; provided issuance is based on

24  requirements equal to or more stringent than those of the

25  department. The department may enter into a permit-delegation

26  agreement with a governmental entity if issuance of a permit

27  is based on requirements that the department finds will ensure

28  the safety and integrity of facilities of the Department of

29  Transportation.

30         Section 4.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section

31  339.135, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:


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                                    CS/HB 715, First Engrossed/ntc



  1         339.135  Work program; legislative budget request;

  2  definitions; preparation, adoption, execution, and

  3  amendment.--

  4         (4)  FUNDING AND DEVELOPING A TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM.--

  5         (b)1.  A tentative work program, including the ensuing

  6  fiscal year and the successive 4 fiscal years, shall be

  7  prepared for the State Transportation Trust Fund and other

  8  funds managed by the department, unless otherwise provided by

  9  law.  The tentative work program shall be based on the

10  district work programs and shall set forth all projects by

11  phase to be undertaken during the ensuing fiscal year and

12  planned for the successive 4 fiscal years. The total amount of

13  the liabilities accruing in each fiscal year of the tentative

14  work program may not exceed the revenues available for

15  expenditure during the respective fiscal year based on the

16  cash forecast for that respective fiscal year.

17         2.  The tentative work program shall be developed in

18  accordance with the Florida Transportation Plan required in s.

19  339.155 and must comply with the program funding levels

20  contained in the program and resource plan.

21         3.  The department may include in the tentative work

22  program proposed changes to the programs contained in the

23  previous work program adopted pursuant to subsection (5);

24  however, the department shall minimize changes and adjustments

25  that affect the scheduling of project phases in the 4 common

26  fiscal years contained in the previous adopted work program

27  and the tentative work program.  The department, in the

28  development of the tentative work program, shall advance by 1

29  fiscal year all projects included in the second year of the

30  previous year's adopted work program, unless the secretary

31  specifically determines that it is necessary, for specific


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                                    CS/HB 715, First Engrossed/ntc



  1  reasons, to reschedule or delete one or more projects from

  2  that year.  Such changes and adjustments shall be clearly

  3  identified, and the effect on the 4 common fiscal years

  4  contained in the previous adopted work program and the

  5  tentative work program shall be shown.  It is the intent of

  6  the Legislature that the first 5 years of the adopted work

  7  program for facilities designated as part of the Florida

  8  Intrastate Highway System and the first 3 years of the adopted

  9  work program stand as the commitment of the state to undertake

10  transportation projects that local governments may rely on for

11  planning purposes and in the development and amendment of the

12  capital improvements elements of their local government

13  comprehensive plans.

14         4.  The tentative work program must include a balanced

15  36-month forecast of cash and expenditures and a 5-year

16  finance plan supporting the tentative work program.

17         Section 5.  Subsection (2) of section 479.15, Florida

18  Statutes, is amended to read:

19         479.15  Harmony of regulations.--

20         (2)  A municipality, county, local zoning authority, or

21  other local governmental entity may not remove, or cause to be

22  removed, any lawfully erected sign along any portion of the

23  interstate or federal-aid primary highway system without first

24  paying just compensation for such removal. A local

25  governmental entity may not cause in any way the alteration of

26  any lawfully erected sign located along any portion of the

27  interstate or federal-aid primary highway system without

28  payment of just compensation if such alteration constitutes a

29  taking under state law. The municipality, county, local zoning

30  authority, or other local government entity that adopts

31  promulgating requirements for such alteration shall pay must


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                                    CS/HB 715, First Engrossed/ntc



  1  be responsible for payment of just compensation to the sign

  2  owner if such alteration constitutes a taking under state law.

  3  This subsection applies only to a lawfully erected sign the

  4  subject matter of which relates to premises other than the

  5  premises on which it is located or to merchandise, services,

  6  activities, or entertainment not sold, produced, manufactured,

  7  or furnished on the premises on which the sign is located. As

  8  used in this subsection, the term "federal-aid primary highway

  9  system" means the federal-aid primary highway system in

10  existence on June 1, 1991, and any highway that was not a part

11  of such system as of that date but that is or becomes after

12  June 1, 1991, a part of the National Highway System. This

13  subsection shall not be interpreted as explicit or implicit

14  legislative recognition that alterations do or do not

15  constitute a taking under state law.

16         Section 6.  Section 479.25, Florida Statutes, is

17  created to read:

18         479.25  Application of chapter.--This chapter does not

19  prevent a governmental entity from entering into an agreement

20  allowing the height above ground level of a lawfully erected

21  sign to be increased at its permitted location if a

22  noise-attenuation barrier, visibility screen, or other highway

23  improvement is erected in such a way as to screen or block

24  visibility of the sign. However, if a nonconforming sign is

25  located on the federal-aid primary highway system, as such

26  system existed on June 1, 1991, or on any highway that was not

27  a part of such system as of that date but that is or becomes

28  after June 1, 1991, a part of the National Highway System, the

29  agreement must be approved by the Federal Highway

30  Administration. Any increase in height permitted under this

31  section may only be the increase in height which is required


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                                    CS/HB 715, First Engrossed/ntc



  1  to achieve the same degree of visibility from the right-of-way

  2  which the sign had prior to the construction of the

  3  noise-attenuation barrier, visibility screen, or other highway

  4  improvement.

  5         Section 7.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

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