HB 1179

CS

CHAMBER ACTION

1	The Committee on Natural Resources recommends the following:
2
3	Committee Substitute
4	Remove the entire bill and insert:
5	A bill to be entitled
6	An act relating to greenways and trails; renaming ch. 260,
7	F.S., the "Florida Greenways and Trails Act"; amending s.
8	260.011, F.S.; providing a popular name; amending s.
9	260.012, F.S.; revising legislative intent; amending s.
10	260.0125, F.S.; providing a limitation on liability of
11	certain off-highway vehicle facilities; requiring written
12	landowner authorization for public access to private
13	lands; requiring the Department of Environmental
14	Protection to provide certain notice; amending s. 260.013,
15	F.S.; revising and providing definitions; amending s.
16	260.0141, F.S.; removing a provision relating to
17	acquisition of greenways and trails; amending s. 260.0142,
18	F.S.; extending the terms of certain appointees to the
19	Florida Greenways and Trails Council; including users of
20	off-highway vehicles as eligible to be appointed as
21	representatives of the trail user community on the
22	council; revising duties of council members; amending s.
23	260.015, F.S.; removing provisions for appraisal of
24	certain property by the department; amending s. 260.016,
25	F.S.; revising powers of the department with regard to
26	access routes and evaluation of lands for acquisition;
27	authorizing the Legislature to add to the Big Bend
28	Historic Saltwater Paddling Trail; creating s. 335.067,
29	F.S.; creating the Conserve by Bicycle Program within the
30	Department of Transportation; providing purposes;
31	requiring the department, in conjunction with specified
32	organizations, to conduct a Conserve by Bicycle study;
33	requiring the study to be submitted to the Governor, the
34	Legislature, and the Secretaries of Transportation,
35	Environmental Protection, and Health; amending s. 373.199,
36	F.S.; providing for inclusion of the Florida National
37	Scenic Trail in Florida Forever water management
38	districts' recommended projects lists; amending s.
39	378.036, F.S.; providing a definition for purposes of land
40	acquisition; exempting Florida Mining-Recreation, Inc.,
41	from the tax on sales, use, and other transactions;
42	permitting certain funds to be paid directly to Florida
43	Mining-Recreation, Inc.; providing for uses of the funds;
44	exempting the corporation from competitive bidding
45	requirements; clarifying audit and inventory requirements;
46	amending s. 380.507, F.S.; revising provisions relating to
47	the acquisition or disposal of certain property to provide
48	public access to certain lands; providing an effective
49	date.
50
51	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
52
53	Section 1.  Chapter 260, Florida Statutes, entitled
54	"Recreational Trails System," is renamed "Florida Greenways and
55	Trails Act."
56	Section 2.  Section 260.011, Florida Statutes, is amended
57	to read:
58	260.011  Popular name Short title.--Sections 260.011-
59	260.018 shall be known by the popular name and may be cited as
60	the "Florida Greenways and Trails Act."
61	Section 3.  Subsections (1), (2), and (6) of section
62	260.012, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
63	260.012  Declaration of policy and legislative intent.--
64	(1)  In order to recognize the benefits of the outdoor
65	areas of Florida, and in order to conserve, develop, and use the
66	natural resources of this state for healthful and recreational
67	purposes, it is declared to be the public policy of this state
68	and the purpose of ss. 260.011-260.018 to provide the means and
69	procedures for establishing and expanding a statewide system of
70	greenways and trails for recreational and conservation purposes
71	and which shall be designated as the "Florida Greenways and
72	Trails System." The standards by which the greenways and trails
73	system shall be acquired, designated, administered, maintained,
74	used, and expanded shall be consistent with the provisions of
75	ss. 260.011-260.018. It is the intent of the Legislature that
76	these greenways and trails will serve to implement the concepts
77	of ecosystems management while providing, where appropriate,
78	recreational opportunities, including, but not limited to,
79	equestrian activities horseback riding, hiking, bicycling,
80	canoeing, jogging, and historical and archaeological
81	interpretation, thereby improving the health and welfare of the
82	people.
83	(2)  It is the intent of the Legislature that a statewide
84	system of greenways and trails be established to provide open
85	space benefiting environmentally sensitive lands and wildlife
86	and providing people with access to healthful outdoor
87	activities. It is also the intent of the Legislature to acquire
88	or designate lands and waterways to facilitate the establishment
89	of a statewide system of greenways and trails; to encourage the
90	multiple use of public rights-of-way and use to the fullest
91	extent existing and future scenic roads, highways, park roads,
92	parkways, greenways, trails, and national recreational trails;
93	to encourage the development of greenways and trails by
94	counties, cities, and special districts, and nongovernmental
95	organizations and to assist in such development by any means
96	available; to coordinate greenway and trail plans and
97	development by local governments with one another and with the
98	state government and Federal Government; to encourage, whenever
99	possible, the development of greenways and trails on federal
100	lands by the Federal Government; and to encourage the owners of
101	private lands to protect the existing ecological, historical,
102	and cultural values of their lands, including those values
103	derived from working landscapes.
104	(6)  It is the intent of the Legislature to officially
105	recognize the Florida National Scenic Trail as Florida's
106	official statewide nonmotorized trail from the Florida Panhandle
107	to the Everglades and the Florida Keys, an approximate length of
108	more than 1,400 miles. The Legislature recognizes the major
109	contributions made in furtherance of the establishment of the
110	Florida National Scenic Trail by the United States Government,
111	including significant funding, and the efforts of private
112	landowners, state government, and not-for-profit entities such
113	as the Florida Trail Association. The Legislature also
114	recognizes the significant economic benefit of natural-resource-
115	based recreation and the contributions to the state's economy
116	that arise from the creation and completion of the trail. In
117	order to further its commitment to the citizens of the state and
118	the United States Government to complete the establishment of
119	the trail in a permanent location, it is also the further intent
120	of the Legislature to:
121	(a)  Encourage all state, regional, and local agencies who
122	acquire lands to include in their land-buying efforts the
123	acquisition of sufficient legal interest in the lands over which
124	the trail passes to ensure its continued existence in a
125	permanent location.
126	(b)  Officially recognize the route of the trail for
127	establishment and acquisition purposes as determined by the
128	U.S.D.A. Forest Service assisted by the Florida Trail
129	Association in their publication entitled "Preferred Routing for
130	the Florida National Scenic Trail."

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