Florida Senate - 2014                                    SB 1398
       
       
        
       By Senator Hays
       
       
       
       
       
       11-00739C-14                                          20141398__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to land conservation; limiting the
    3         ability of the state, a county, or a municipality to
    4         purchase land outside an area of critical concern for
    5         conservation purposes; providing criteria; exempting
    6         purchases of land if they are approved by referendum
    7         or if the land is purchased for active public use;
    8         providing an effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. (1) The state may purchase land outside an area
   13  of critical state concern for conservation purposes only if:
   14         (a) An accurate inventory, conducted within the last 12
   15  months, of state-owned property is made publicly available;
   16         (b) Sufficient funds are approved in the state’s annual
   17  budget for the restoration and maintenance of existing
   18  properties;
   19         (c) A description of the current use of existing properties
   20  and an analysis of proposed future uses of existing properties
   21  are made publicly available; and
   22         (d) An analysis by the state describing the annual cost of
   23  restoration and maintenance of the proposed land purchase is
   24  completed and made publicly available, and funds sufficient to
   25  restore and maintain the proposed land purchase are approved and
   26  set aside.
   27         (2) A purchase of land by the state is exempt from this
   28  section if it is approved by referendum or if the land is
   29  purchased for active public use.
   30         Section 2. (1) A county may purchase land outside an area
   31  of critical state concern for conservation purposes only if:
   32         (a) An accurate inventory, conducted within the last 12
   33  months, of county-owned property is made publicly available;
   34         (b) Sufficient funds are approved in the county’s annual
   35  budget for the restoration and maintenance of existing
   36  properties;
   37         (c) A description of the current use of existing properties
   38  and an analysis of proposed future uses of existing properties
   39  are made publicly available; and
   40         (d) An analysis by the county describing the annual cost of
   41  restoration and maintenance of the proposed land purchase is
   42  completed and made publicly available, and funds sufficient to
   43  restore and maintain the proposed land purchase are approved and
   44  set aside.
   45         (2) A purchase of land by the county is exempt from this
   46  section if it is approved by referendum or if the land is
   47  purchased for active public use.
   48         Section 3. (1) A municipality may purchase land outside an
   49  area of critical state concern for conservation purposes only
   50  if:
   51         (a) An accurate inventory, conducted within the last 12
   52  months, of municipally owned property is made publicly
   53  available;
   54         (b) Sufficient funds are approved in the municipality’s
   55  annual budget for the restoration and maintenance of existing
   56  properties;
   57         (c) A description of the current use of existing properties
   58  and an analysis of proposed future uses of existing properties
   59  are made publicly available; and
   60         (d) An analysis by the municipality describing the annual
   61  cost of restoration and maintenance of the proposed land
   62  purchase is completed and made publicly available, and funds
   63  sufficient to restore and maintain the proposed land purchase
   64  are approved and set aside.
   65         (2) A purchase of land by the municipality is exempt from
   66  this section if it is approved by referendum or if the land is
   67  purchased for active public use.
   68         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.