Florida Senate - 2025                                    SB 1142
       
       
        
       By Senator Rodriguez
       
       
       
       
       
       40-00792A-25                                          20251142__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the release of conservation
    3         easements; amending s. 704.06, F.S.; requiring certain
    4         water management districts, upon application by the
    5         fee simple owner of a parcel subject to a conservation
    6         easement, to release the conservation easement if
    7         specified conditions are met; providing for the
    8         valuation of the property upon such release;
    9         specifying that land released from the conservation
   10         easement may be used for development consistent with
   11         certain zoning; providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Subsection (14) is added to section 704.06,
   16  Florida Statutes, to read:
   17         704.06 Conservation easements; creation; acquisition;
   18  enforcement.—
   19         (14)(a) Upon application by the fee simple owner of a
   20  parcel of land subject to a conservation easement to a water
   21  management district, a water management district must release
   22  the conservation easement if the following conditions are met:
   23         1. The land subject to the easement is less than 15 acres
   24  and is bordered on three or more sides by impervious surfaces;
   25         2. Any undeveloped adjacent parcels of land are less than
   26  15 acres and similarly bordered on three or more sides by
   27  impervious surfaces;
   28         3. The land contains no historical, architectural,
   29  archeological, or cultural significance; and
   30         4. The applicant has secured sufficient mitigation credits
   31  using the uniform mitigation assessment method from a mitigation
   32  bank located in this state to offset the loss of wetlands
   33  located on the land subject to the conservation easement.
   34         (b) Upon the water management district’s release of the
   35  conservation easement, the ad valorem taxes on the property must
   36  be based on the just value of the property, and the property may
   37  be used for development that is consistent with the zoning
   38  designation of the adjacent lands.
   39         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.