The Florida Senate

163.3182  Transportation concurrency backlogs.--

(1)  DEFINITIONS.--For purposes of this section, the term:

(a)  "Transportation concurrency backlog area" means the geographic area within the unincorporated portion of a county or within the municipal boundary of a municipality designated in a local government comprehensive plan for which a transportation concurrency backlog authority is created pursuant to this section. A transportation concurrency backlog area created within the corporate boundary of a municipality shall be made pursuant to an interlocal agreement between a county, a municipality or municipalities, and any affected taxing authority or authorities.

(b)  "Authority" or "transportation concurrency backlog authority" means the governing body of a county or municipality within which an authority is created.

(c)  "Governing body" means the council, commission, or other legislative body charged with governing the county or municipality within which a transportation concurrency backlog authority is created pursuant to this section.

(d)  "Transportation concurrency backlog" means an identified deficiency where the existing extent of traffic volume exceeds the level of service standard adopted in a local government comprehensive plan for a transportation facility.

(e)  "Transportation concurrency backlog plan" means the plan adopted as part of a local government comprehensive plan by the governing body of a county or municipality acting as a transportation concurrency backlog authority.

(f)  "Transportation concurrency backlog project" means any designated transportation project identified for construction within the jurisdiction of a transportation concurrency backlog authority.

(g)  "Debt service millage" means any millage levied pursuant to s. 12, Art. VII of the State Constitution.

(h)  "Increment revenue" means the amount calculated pursuant to subsection (5).

(i)  "Taxing authority" means a public body that levies or is authorized to levy an ad valorem tax on real property located within a transportation concurrency backlog area, except a school district.

(2)  CREATION OF TRANSPORTATION CONCURRENCY BACKLOG AUTHORITIES.--

(a)  A county or municipality may create a transportation concurrency backlog authority if it has an identified transportation concurrency backlog.

(b)  Acting as the transportation concurrency backlog authority within the authority's jurisdictional boundary, the governing body of a county or municipality shall adopt and implement a plan to eliminate all identified transportation concurrency backlogs within the authority's jurisdiction using funds provided pursuant to subsection (5) and as otherwise provided pursuant to this section.

(3)  POWERS OF A TRANSPORTATION CONCURRENCY BACKLOG AUTHORITY.--Each transportation concurrency backlog authority has the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of this section, including the following powers in addition to others granted in this section:

(a)  To make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers under this section.

(b)  To undertake and carry out transportation concurrency backlog projects for transportation facilities that have a concurrency backlog within the authority's jurisdiction. Concurrency backlog projects may include transportation facilities that provide for alternative modes of travel including sidewalks, bikeways, and mass transit which are related to a backlogged transportation facility.

(c)  To invest any transportation concurrency backlog funds held in reserve, sinking funds, or any such funds not required for immediate disbursement in property or securities in which savings banks may legally invest funds subject to the control of the authority and to redeem such bonds as have been issued pursuant to this section at the redemption price established therein, or to purchase such bonds at less than redemption price. All such bonds redeemed or purchased shall be canceled.

(d)  To borrow money; to apply for and accept advances, loans, grants, contributions, and any other forms of financial assistance from the Federal Government or the state, county, or any other public body or from any sources, public or private, for the purposes of this part; to give such security as may be required; to enter into and carry out contracts or agreements; and to include in any contracts for financial assistance with the Federal Government for or with respect to a transportation concurrency backlog project and related activities such conditions imposed pursuant to federal laws as the transportation concurrency backlog authority considers reasonable and appropriate and which are not inconsistent with the purposes of this section.

(e)  To make or have made all surveys and plans necessary to the carrying out of the purposes of this section; to contract with any persons, public or private, in making and carrying out such plans; and to adopt, approve, modify, or amend such transportation concurrency backlog plans.

(f)  To appropriate such funds and make such expenditures as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this section, and to enter into agreements with other public bodies, which agreements may extend over any period notwithstanding any provision or rule of law to the contrary.

(4)  TRANSPORTATION CONCURRENCY BACKLOG PLANS.--

(a)  Each transportation concurrency backlog authority shall adopt a transportation concurrency backlog plan as a part of the local government comprehensive plan within 6 months after the creation of the authority. The plan shall:

1.  Identify all transportation facilities that have been designated as deficient and require the expenditure of moneys to upgrade, modify, or mitigate the deficiency.

2.  Include a priority listing of all transportation facilities that have been designated as deficient and do not satisfy concurrency requirements pursuant to s. 163.3180, and the applicable local government comprehensive plan.

3.  Establish a schedule for financing and construction of transportation concurrency backlog projects that will eliminate transportation concurrency backlogs within the jurisdiction of the authority within 10 years after the transportation concurrency backlog plan adoption. The schedule shall be adopted as part of the local government comprehensive plan.

(b)  The adoption of the transportation concurrency backlog plan shall be exempt from the provisions of s. 163.3187(1).

(5)  ESTABLISHMENT OF LOCAL TRUST FUND.--The transportation concurrency backlog authority shall establish a local transportation concurrency backlog trust fund upon creation of the authority. Each local trust fund shall be administered by the transportation concurrency backlog authority within which a transportation concurrency backlog has been identified. Beginning in the first fiscal year after the creation of the authority, each local trust fund shall be funded by the proceeds of an ad valorem tax increment collected within each transportation concurrency backlog area to be determined annually and shall be 25 percent of the difference between:

(a)  The amount of ad valorem tax levied each year by each taxing authority, exclusive of any amount from any debt service millage, on taxable real property contained within the jurisdiction of the transportation concurrency backlog authority and within the transportation backlog area; and

(b)  The amount of ad valorem taxes which would have been produced by the rate upon which the tax is levied each year by or for each taxing authority, exclusive of any debt service millage, upon the total of the assessed value of the taxable real property within the transportation concurrency backlog area as shown on the most recent assessment roll used in connection with the taxation of such property of each taxing authority prior to the effective date of the ordinance funding the trust fund.

(6)  EXEMPTIONS.--

(a)  The following public bodies or taxing authorities are exempt from the provisions of this section:

1.  A special district that levies ad valorem taxes on taxable real property in more than one county.

2.  A special district for which the sole available source of revenue is the authority to levy ad valorem taxes at the time an ordinance is adopted under this section. However, revenues or aid that may be dispensed or appropriated to a district as defined in s. 388.011 at the discretion of an entity other than such district shall not be deemed available.

3.  A library district.

4.  A neighborhood improvement district created under the Safe Neighborhoods Act.

5.  A metropolitan transportation authority.

6.  A water management district created under s. 373.069

7.  A community redevelopment agency.

(b)  A transportation concurrency exemption authority may also exempt from this section a special district that levies ad valorem taxes within the transportation concurrency backlog area pursuant to s. 163.387(2)(d).

(7)  TRANSPORTATION CONCURRENCY SATISFACTION.--Upon adoption of a transportation concurrency backlog plan as a part of the local government comprehensive plan, and the plan going into effect, the area subject to the plan shall be deemed to have achieved and maintained transportation level-of-service standards, and to have met requirements for financial feasibility for transportation facilities, and for the purpose of proposed development transportation concurrency has been satisfied. Proportionate fair-share mitigation shall be limited to ensure that a development inside a transportation concurrency backlog area is not responsible for the additional costs of eliminating backlogs.

(8)  DISSOLUTION.--Upon completion of all transportation concurrency backlog projects, a transportation concurrency backlog authority shall be dissolved, and its assets and liabilities shall be transferred to the county or municipality within which the authority is located. All remaining assets of the authority must be used for implementation of transportation projects within the jurisdiction of the authority. The local government comprehensive plan shall be amended to remove the transportation concurrency backlog plan.

History.--s. 12, ch. 2007-196; s. 10, ch. 2007-204; s. 27, ch. 2008-4.