The Florida Senate

259.032  Conservation and Recreation Lands Trust Fund; purpose.--

(1)  It is the policy of the state that the citizens of this state shall be assured public ownership of natural areas for purposes of maintaining this state's unique natural resources; protecting air, land, and water quality; and providing lands for natural resource based recreation. In recognition of this policy, it is the intent of the Legislature to provide such public lands for the people residing in urban and metropolitan areas of the state as well as those residing in less populated, rural areas; it is the further intent of the Legislature, with regard to the lands described in paragraph (3)(c), that a high priority be given to the acquisition of such lands in or near counties exhibiting the greatest concentration of population and, with regard to the lands described in subsection (3), that a high priority be given to acquiring lands or rights or interests in lands within any area designated as an area of critical state concern under s. 380.05 which, in the judgment of the advisory council established pursuant to s. 259.035, cannot be adequately protected by application of land development regulations adopted pursuant to s. 380.05.

(2)(a)  The Conservation and Recreation Lands Trust Fund is established within the Department of Environmental Protection. The fund shall be used as a nonlapsing, revolving fund exclusively for the purposes of this section. The fund shall be credited with proceeds from the following excise taxes:

1.  The excise taxes on documents as provided in s. 201.15; and

2.  The excise tax on the severance of phosphate rock as provided in s. 211.3103.

The Department of Revenue shall credit to the fund each month the proceeds from such taxes as provided in this paragraph.

(b)  There shall annually be transferred from the Conservation and Recreation Lands Trust Fund to the Land Acquisition Trust Fund that amount, not to exceed $20 million annually, as shall be necessary to pay the debt service on, or fund debt service reserve funds, rebate obligations, or other amounts with respect to bonds issued pursuant to s. 375.051 to acquire lands on the established priority list as determined by the advisory council pursuant to s. 259.035; however, no moneys transferred to the Land Acquisition Trust Fund pursuant to this paragraph, or earnings thereon, shall be used or made available to pay debt service on the Save Our Coast revenue bonds. Amounts transferred annually from the Conservation and Recreation Lands Trust Fund to the Land Acquisition Trust Fund pursuant to this paragraph shall have the highest priority over other payments or transfers from the Conservation and Recreation Lands Trust Fund, and no other payments or transfers shall be made from the Conservation and Recreation Lands Trust Fund until such transfers to the Land Acquisition Trust Fund have been made.

(3)  The Governor and Cabinet, sitting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, may allocate moneys from the fund in any one year to acquire the fee or any lesser interest in lands for the following public purposes:

(a)  To conserve and protect environmentally unique and irreplaceable lands that contain native, relatively unaltered flora and fauna representing a natural area unique to, or scarce within, a region of this state or a larger geographic area;

(b)  To conserve and protect lands within designated areas of critical state concern, if the proposed acquisition relates to the natural resource protection purposes of the designation;

(c)  To conserve and protect native species habitat or endangered or threatened species;

(d)  To conserve, protect, manage, or restore important ecosystems, landscapes, and forests, if the protection and conservation of such lands is necessary to enhance or protect significant surface water, groundwater, coastal, recreational, timber, or fish or wildlife resources which cannot otherwise be accomplished through local and state regulatory programs;

(e)  To provide areas, including recreational trails, for natural resource based recreation and other outdoor recreation on any part of any site compatible with conservation purposes;

(f)  To preserve significant archaeological or historic sites; or

(g)  To conserve urban open spaces suitable for greenways or outdoor recreation which are compatible with conservation purposes.

(4)  Lands acquired under this section shall be for use as state-designated parks, recreation areas, preserves, reserves, historic or archaeological sites, geologic or botanical sites, recreational trails, forests, wilderness areas, wildlife management areas, urban open space, or other state-designated recreation or conservation lands; or they shall qualify for such state designation and use if they are to be managed by other governmental agencies or nonstate entities as provided for in this section.

(5)  The board of trustees may allocate, in any year, an amount not to exceed 5 percent of the money credited to the fund in that year, such allocation to be used for the initiation and maintenance of a natural areas inventory to aid in the identification of areas to be acquired pursuant to this section.

(6)  Moneys in the fund not needed to meet obligations incurred under this section shall be deposited with the Treasurer to the credit of the fund and may be invested in the manner provided by law. Interest received on such investments shall be credited to the Conservation and Recreation Lands Trust Fund.

(7)  The board of trustees may enter into any contract necessary to accomplish the purposes of this section. The lead land managing agencies also are directed by the Legislature to enter into contracts or interagency agreements with other governmental entities, including local soil and water conservation districts, or private land managers who have the expertise to perform specific management activities which a lead agency lacks, or which would cost more to provide in-house. Such activities shall include, but not be limited to, controlled burning, road and ditch maintenance, mowing, and wildlife assessments.

(8)  Lands to be considered for purchase under this section are subject to the selection procedures of s. 259.035 and related rules and shall be acquired in accordance with acquisition procedures for state lands provided for in s. 259.041, except as otherwise provided by the Legislature. An inholding or an addition to a project selected for purchase pursuant to this chapter or s. 259.035 is not subject to the selection procedures of s. 259.035 if the estimated value of such inholding or addition does not exceed $500,000. When at least 90 percent of the acreage of a project has been purchased pursuant to this chapter or s. 259.035, the project may be removed from the list and the remaining acreage may continue to be purchased. Moneys from the fund may be used for title work, appraisal fees, environmental audits, and survey costs related to acquisition expenses for lands to be acquired, donated, or exchanged which qualify under the categories of this section, at the discretion of the board. When the Legislature has authorized the Department of Environmental Protection to condemn a specific parcel of land and such parcel has already been approved for acquisition under this section, the land may be acquired in accordance with the provisions of chapter 73 or chapter 74, and the fund may be used to pay the condemnation award and all costs, including a reasonable attorney's fee, associated with condemnation.

(9)(a)  All lands managed under this section shall be:

1.  Managed in a manner that will provide the greatest combination of benefits to the public and to the resources.

2.  Managed for public outdoor recreation which is compatible with the conservation and protection of public lands.

3.  Managed for the purposes for which the lands were acquired, consistent with paragraph (11)(a).

Management may include the following public uses: fishing, hunting, camping, bicycling, hiking, nature study, swimming, boating, canoeing, horseback riding, diving, birding, sailing, jogging, and other related outdoor activities.

(b)1.  Concurrent with its adoption of the annual Conservation and Recreational Lands list of acquisition projects pursuant to s. 259.035, the board of trustees shall adopt a management prospectus for each project. The management prospectus shall delineate: the management goals for the property; the conditions that will affect the intensity of management; an estimate of the revenue-generating potential of the property, if appropriate; a timetable for implementing the various stages of management and for providing access to the public, if applicable; provisions for protecting existing infrastructure and for ensuring the security of the project upon acquisition; the anticipated costs of management and projected sources of revenue, including legislative appropriations, to fund management needs; recommendations as to how many employees will be needed to manage the property; and recommendations as to whether local governments, volunteer groups, the former landowner, or other interested parties can be involved in the management.

2.  Concurrent with the approval of the acquisition contract pursuant to s. 259.041(3)(c) for any interest in lands, the board of trustees shall designate an agency or agencies to manage such lands and shall evaluate and amend, as appropriate, the management policy statement for the project as provided by s. 259.035, consistent with the purposes for which the lands are acquired. For any fee simple acquisition of a parcel which is or will be leased back for agricultural purposes, or any acquisition of a less-than-fee interest in land that is or will be used for agricultural purposes, the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund shall first consider having a soil and water conservation district, created pursuant to chapter 582, manage and monitor such interests.

3.  State agencies designated to manage lands acquired under this chapter may contract with local governments and soil and water conservation districts to assist in management activities, including the responsibility of being the lead land manager. Such land management contracts may include a provision for the transfer of management funding to the local government or soil and water conservation district from the Conservation and Recreation Lands Trust Fund in an amount adequate for the local government or soil and water conservation district to perform its contractual land management responsibilities and proportionate to its responsibilities, and which otherwise would have been expended by the state agency to manage the property.

4.  Immediately following the acquisition of any interest in lands under this chapter, the Department of Environmental Protection, acting on behalf of the board of trustees, may issue to the lead managing entity an interim assignment letter to be effective until the execution of a formal lease.

(10)  State, regional, or local governmental agencies or private entities designated to manage lands under this section shall develop and adopt, with the approval of the board of trustees, an individual management plan for each project designed to conserve and protect such lands and their associated natural resources. Private sector involvement in management plan development may be used to expedite the planning process. Beginning fiscal year 1998-1999, individual management plans required by ¹s. 253.034(4) shall be developed with input from an advisory group. Members of this advisory group shall include, at a minimum, representatives of the lead land managing agency, comanaging entities, local private property owners, the appropriate soil and water conservation district, a local conservation organization, and a local elected official. The advisory group shall conduct at least one public hearing within the county in which the parcel or project is located. Notice of such public hearing shall be posted on the parcel or project designated for management, advertised in a paper of general circulation, and announced at a scheduled meeting of the local governing body before the actual public hearing. The management prospectus required pursuant to paragraph (9)(b) shall be available to the public for a period of 30 days prior to the public hearing. Once a plan is adopted, the managing agency or entity shall update the plan at least every 5 years in a form and manner prescribed by rule of the board of trustees. Such plans may include transfers of leasehold interests to appropriate conservation organizations designated by the Land Management Advisory Council for uses consistent with the purposes of the organizations and the protection, preservation, and proper management of the lands and their resources. Volunteer management assistance is encouraged, including, but not limited to, assistance by youths participating in programs sponsored by state or local agencies, by volunteers sponsored by environmental or civic organizations, and by individuals participating in programs for committed delinquents and adults. For each project for which lands are acquired after July 1, 1995, an individual management plan shall be adopted and in place no later than 1 year after the essential parcel or parcels identified in the annual Conservation and Recreation Lands report prepared pursuant to s. 259.035(2)(a) have been acquired. Beginning in fiscal year 1998-1999, the Department of Environmental Protection shall distribute only 75 percent of the acquisition funds to which a budget entity or water management district would otherwise be entitled from the Preservation 2000 Trust Fund to any budget entity or any water management district that has more than one-third of its management plans overdue.

(a)  Individual management plans shall conform to the appropriate policies and guidelines of the state land management plan and shall include, but not be limited to:

1.  A statement of the purpose for which the lands were acquired, the projected use or uses as defined in s. 253.034, and the statutory authority for such use or uses.

2.  Key management activities necessary to preserve and protect natural resources and restore habitat, and for controlling the spread of nonnative plants and animals, and for prescribed fire and other appropriate resource management activities.

3.  A specific description of how the managing agency plans to identify, locate, protect, and preserve, or otherwise use fragile, nonrenewable natural and cultural resources.

4.  A priority schedule for conducting management activities, based on the purposes for which the lands were acquired.

5.  A cost estimate for conducting priority management activities, to include recommendations for cost-effective methods of accomplishing those activities.

6.  A cost estimate for conducting other management activities which would enhance the natural resource value or public recreation value for which the lands were acquired. The cost estimate shall include recommendations for cost-effective methods of accomplishing those activities.

7.  A determination of the public uses that would be consistent with the purposes for which the lands were acquired.

(b)  The Division of State Lands shall submit a copy of each individual management plan for parcels which exceed 160 acres in size to each member of the Land Management Advisory Council. The council shall, within 60 days after receiving a plan from the division, review each plan for compliance with the requirements of this subsection and with the requirements of the rules established by the board pursuant to this subsection. The council shall also consider the propriety of the recommendations of the managing agency with regard to the future use or protection of the property. After its review, the council shall submit the plan, along with its recommendations and comments, to the board of trustees. The council shall specifically recommend to the board of trustees whether to approve the plan as submitted, approve the plan with modifications, or reject the plan.

(c)  The board of trustees shall consider the individual management plan submitted by each state agency and the recommendations of the Land Management Advisory Council and the Division of State Lands and shall approve the plan with or without modification or reject such plan. The use or possession of any lands owned by the board of trustees which is not in accordance with an approved individual management plan is subject to termination by the board of trustees.

By July 1 of each year, each governmental agency, including the water management districts, and each private entity designated to manage lands shall report to the Secretary of Environmental Protection on the progress of funding, staffing, and resource management of every project for which the agency or entity is responsible.

(11)(a)  The Legislature recognizes that acquiring lands pursuant to this chapter serves the public interest by protecting land, air, and water resources which contribute to the public health and welfare, providing areas for natural resource based recreation, and ensuring the survival of unique and irreplaceable plant and animal species. The Legislature intends for these lands to be managed and maintained for the purposes for which they were acquired and for the public to have access to these lands where it is consistent with acquisition purposes and would not harm the resources the state is seeking to protect on the public's behalf.

(b)  An amount up to 1.5 percent of the cumulative total of funds ever deposited into the Florida Preservation 2000 Trust Fund shall be made available for the purposes of management, maintenance, and capital improvements, and for associated contractual services, for lands acquired pursuant to this section and s. 259.101 to which title is vested in the board of trustees. Each agency with management responsibilities shall annually request from the Legislature funds sufficient to fulfill such responsibilities. Capital improvements shall include, but need not be limited to, perimeter fencing, signs, firelanes, access roads and trails, and minimal public accommodations, such as primitive campsites, garbage receptacles, and toilets.

(c)  In requesting funds provided for in paragraph (b) for long-term management of all acquisitions pursuant to this chapter and for associated contractual services, the managing agencies shall recognize the following categories of land management needs:

1.  Lands which are low-need tracts, requiring basic resource management and protection, such as state reserves, state preserves, state forests, and wildlife management areas. These lands generally are open to the public but have no more than minimum facilities development.

2.  Lands which are moderate-need tracts, requiring more than basic resource management and protection, such as state parks and state recreation areas. These lands generally have extra restoration or protection needs, higher concentrations of public use, or more highly developed facilities.

3.  Lands which are high-need tracts, with identified needs requiring unique site-specific resource management and protection. These lands generally are sites with historic significance, unique natural features, or very high intensity public use, or sites that require extra funds to stabilize or protect resources.

In evaluating the management funding needs of lands based on the above categories, the lead land managing agencies shall include in their considerations the impacts of, and needs created or addressed by, multiple-use management strategies.

(d)  All revenues generated through multiple-use management shall be returned to the agency responsible for such management and shall be used to pay for management activities on all conservation, preservation, and recreation lands under the agency's jurisdiction. In addition, such revenues shall be segregated in an agency trust fund and shall remain available to the agency in subsequent fiscal years to support land management appropriations.

(e)  Up to one-fifth of the funds provided for in paragraph (b) shall be reserved by the board of trustees for interim management of acquisitions and for associated contractual services, to ensure the conservation and protection of natural resources on project sites and to allow limited public recreational use of lands. Interim management activities may include, but not be limited to, resource assessments, control of invasive exotic species, habitat restoration, fencing, law enforcement, controlled burning, and public access consistent with preliminary determinations made pursuant to paragraph (9)(b). The board of trustees shall make these interim funds available immediately upon purchase.

(f)  The department shall set long-range and annual goals for the control and removal of nonnative, upland, invasive plant species on public lands. Such goals shall differentiate between aquatic plant species and upland plant species. In setting such goals, the department may rank, in order of adverse impact, species which impede or destroy the functioning of natural systems. Notwithstanding paragraph (a), up to one-fourth of the funds provided for in paragraph (b) shall be reserved for control and removal of nonnative, upland, invasive species on public lands.

(12)(a)  Beginning in fiscal year 1994-1995, not more than 3.75 percent of the Conservation and Recreation Lands Trust Fund shall be made available annually to the department for payment in lieu of taxes to qualifying counties, cities, and local governments as defined in paragraph (b) for all actual tax losses incurred as a result of board of trustees acquisitions for state agencies under the Florida Preservation 2000 Program during any year. Reserved funds not used for payments in lieu of taxes in any year shall revert to the fund to be used for land acquisition in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(b)  Payment in lieu of taxes shall be available:

1.  To counties which levy an ad valorem tax of at least 8.25 mills or the amount of the tax loss from all completed Preservation 2000 acquisitions in the county exceeds 0.01 percent of the county's total taxable value, and have a population of 75,000 or less.

2.  To counties with a population of less than 100,000 which contain all or a portion of an area of critical state concern designated pursuant to chapter 380 and to local governments within such counties.

3.  For the 1997-1998 fiscal year only, and notwithstanding the limitations of paragraph (a), to Glades County, where a privately owned and operated prison leased to the state has been opened within the last 2 years for which no other state moneys have been allocated to the county to offset ad valorem revenues. This subparagraph expires July 1, 1998.

For the purposes of this paragraph, "local government" includes municipalities, the county school board, mosquito control districts, and any other local government entity which levies ad valorem taxes, with the exception of a water management district.

(c)  Payment in lieu of taxes shall be available to any city which has a population of 10,000 or less and which levies an ad valorem tax of at least 8.25 mills or the amount of the tax loss from all completed Preservation 2000 acquisitions in the city exceeds 0.01 percent of the city's total taxable value.

(d)  If insufficient funds are available in any year to make full payments to all qualifying counties, cities, and local governments, such counties, cities, and local governments shall receive a pro rata share of the moneys available.

(e)  The payment amount shall be based on the average amount of actual taxes paid on the property for the 3 years preceding acquisition. Applications for payment in lieu of taxes shall be made no later than January 31 of the year following acquisition. No payment in lieu of taxes shall be made for properties which were exempt from ad valorem taxation for the year immediately preceding acquisition. If property which was subject to ad valorem taxation was acquired by a tax-exempt entity for ultimate conveyance to the state under this chapter, payment in lieu of taxes shall be made for such property based upon the average amount of taxes paid on the property for the 3 years prior to its being removed from the tax rolls. The department shall certify to the Department of Revenue those properties that may be eligible under this provision. Payment in lieu of taxes shall be limited to a total of 10 consecutive years of annual payments, beginning the year a local government becomes eligible.

(f)  Payment in lieu of taxes pursuant to this paragraph shall be made annually to qualifying counties, cities, and local governments after certification by the Department of Revenue that the amounts applied for are reasonably appropriate, based on the amount of actual taxes paid on the eligible property, and after the Department of Environmental Protection has provided supporting documents to the Comptroller and has requested that payment be made in accordance with the requirements of this section.

(g)  If the board of trustees conveys to a local government title to any land owned by the board, any payments in lieu of taxes on the land made to the local government shall be discontinued as of the date of the conveyance.

(13)  Moneys credited to the fund each year which are not used for management, maintenance, or capital improvements pursuant to subsection (11); for payment in lieu of taxes pursuant to subsection (12); or for the purposes of subsection (5) shall be available for the acquisition of land pursuant to this section.

(14)  The board of trustees may adopt rules to further define the categories of land for acquisition under this chapter.

²(15)  For fiscal year 1998-1999 only, moneys credited to the fund may be appropriated to provide grants to qualified local governmental entities pursuant to the provisions of s. 375.075. This subsection is repealed on July 1, 1999.

(16)  Within 180 days after receiving a certified letter from the owner of a property on the Conservation and Recreation Lands list objecting to the property being included in an acquisition project, where such property is a project or part of a project which has not been listed for purchase in the current year's land acquisition work plan, the board of trustees shall delete the property from the list or from the boundary of an acquisition project on the list.

History.--s. 8, ch. 79-255; s. 16, ch. 80-356; s. 5, ch. 81-35; s. 1, ch. 81-210; s. 165, ch. 81-259; s. 1, ch. 82-152; s. 2, ch. 83-80; s. 1, ch. 83-114; s. 10, ch. 84-330; s. 13, ch. 86-178; s. 6, ch. 86-294; s. 1, ch. 87-96; s. 1, ch. 88-387; s. 13, ch. 89-116; s. 1, ch. 89-276; s. 2, ch. 90-1; s. 8, ch. 90-217; s. 1, ch. 91-62; s. 5, ch. 91-420; s. 2, ch. 92-288; s. 45, ch. 93-206; s. 4, ch. 94-197; s. 1, ch. 94-212; s. 1, ch. 94-240; s. 65, ch. 94-356; s. 5, ch. 95-349; ss. 19, 20, ch. 95-430; s. 3, ch. 96-389; s. 19, ch. 96-420; s. 23, ch. 97-94; ss. 27, 29, ch. 97-153; s. 6, ch. 97-164; ss. 26, 38, ch. 98-46.

¹Note.--Redesignated as s. 253.034(5) by s. 3, ch. 97-164.

²Note.--Section 26, ch. 98-46, amended subsection (15) "[i]n order to implement Specific Appropriation 1435 of the 1998-1999 General Appropriations Act."

Note.--Former s. 253.023.