The Florida Senate

719.103  Definitions.--As used in this chapter:

(1)  "Assessment" means a share of the funds required for the payment of common expenses, which from time to time is assessed against the unit owner.

(2)  "Association" means the corporation for profit or not for profit that owns the record interest in the cooperative property or a leasehold of the property of a cooperative and that is responsible for the operation of the cooperative.

(3)  "Board of administration" means the board of directors or other representative body responsible for administration of the association.

(4)  "Buyer" means a person who purchases a cooperative. The term "purchaser" may be used interchangeably with the term "buyer."

(5)  "Bylaws" means the bylaws of the association existing from time to time.

(6)  "Committee" means a group of board members, unit owners, or board members and unit owners appointed by the board or a member of the board to make recommendations to the board regarding the association budget or take action on behalf of the board.

(7)  "Common areas" means the portions of the cooperative property not included in the units.

(8)  "Common areas" includes within its meaning the following:

(a)  The cooperative property which is not included within the units.

(b)  Easements through units for conduits, ducts, plumbing, wiring, and other facilities for the furnishing of utility services to units and the common areas.

(c)  An easement of support in every portion of a unit which contributes to the support of a building.

(d)  The property and installations required for the furnishing of utilities and other services to more than one unit or to the common areas.

(e)  Any other part of the cooperative property designated in the cooperative documents as common areas.

(9)  "Common expenses" means all expenses and assessments properly incurred by the association for the cooperative.

(10)  "Common surplus" means the excess of all receipts of the association--including, but not limited to, assessments, rents, profits, and revenues on account of the common areas--over the amount of common expenses.

(11)  "Conspicuous type" means type in capital letters no smaller than the largest type on the page on which it appears.

(12)  "Cooperative" means that form of ownership of real property wherein legal title is vested in a corporation or other entity and the beneficial use is evidenced by an ownership interest in the association and a lease or other muniment of title or possession granted by the association as the owner of all the cooperative property.

(13)  "Cooperative documents" means:

(a)  The documents that create a cooperative, including, but not limited to, articles of incorporation of the association, bylaws, and the ground lease or other underlying lease, if any.

(b)  The document evidencing a unit owner's membership or share in the association.

(c)  The document recognizing a unit owner's title or right of possession to his or her unit.

(14)  "Cooperative parcel" means the shares or other evidence of ownership in a cooperative representing an undivided share in the assets of the association, together with the lease or other muniment of title or possession.

(15)  "Cooperative property" means the lands, leaseholds, and personal property owned by a cooperative association.

(16)  "Developer" means a person who creates a cooperative or who offers cooperative parcels for sale or lease in the ordinary course of business, but does not include the owner or lessee of a unit who has acquired or leased the unit for his or her own occupancy, nor does it include a condominium association which creates a cooperative by conversion of an existing residential condominium after control of the association has been transferred to the unit owners if, following the conversion, the unit owners will be the same persons.

(17)  "Division" means the Division of Florida Land Sales, Condominiums, and Mobile Homes of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

(18)  "Limited common areas" means those common areas which are reserved for the use of a certain cooperative unit or units to the exclusion of other units, as specified in the cooperative documents.

(19)  "Operation" or "operation of the cooperative" includes the administration and management of the cooperative property.

(20)  "Rental agreement" means any written agreement, or oral agreement if for less duration than 1 year, providing for use and occupancy of premises.

(21)  "Residential cooperative" means a cooperative consisting of cooperative units, any of which are intended for use as a private residence. A cooperative is not a residential cooperative if the use of the units is intended as primarily commercial or industrial and not more than three units are intended to be used for private residence, domicile, or homestead, or if the units are intended to be used as housing for maintenance, managerial, janitorial, or other operational staff of the cooperative. If a cooperative is a residential cooperative under this definition, but has units intended to be commercial or industrial, then the cooperative is a residential cooperative with respect to those units intended for use as a private residence, domicile, or homestead, but not a residential cooperative with respect to those units intended for use commercially or industrially.

(22)  "Unit" means a part of the cooperative property which is subject to exclusive use and possession. A unit may be improvements, land, or land and improvements together, as specified in the cooperative documents.

(23)  "Unit owner" or "owner of a unit" means the person holding a share in the cooperative association and a lease or other muniment of title or possession of a unit that is granted by the association as the owner of the cooperative property.

History.--s. 2, ch. 76-222; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 8, ch. 80-3; s. 10, ch. 86-175; s. 17, ch. 92-49; s. 874, ch. 97-102; s. 8, ch. 98-322.