The Florida Senate

Any one or more owners of land may petition the board of supervisors of the soil and water conservation district in which a watershed improvement district is situated to have their lands added to the watershed improvement district. The petition shall also be signed by the owners of a majority of the land area within the watershed improvement district, and shall be subject to approval by the board of directors of the watershed improvement district. The petition shall describe the land desired to be annexed and state the number of acres of land involved and other information pertinent to such proposal.

Within 30 days after such petition is filed, the board shall cause due notice to be given of a hearing on the petition. All interested parties shall have a right to attend the hearing and be heard. The board shall determine whether the lands described in the petition or any portion thereof shall be included in the watershed improvement district. If it is determined that such land should be added, the board shall certify this fact to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and furnish a copy of such certification to the clerk of the circuit court of each county in which any portion of the added lands is situated for recordation in the public land records of each such county.

The owner or owners of land which is not benefited by its inclusion in a watershed improvement district may petition the board of supervisors of the soil and water conservation district in which the watershed improvement district is situated to have such land excluded from the district. The petition shall describe the land and state the reasons why it should be excluded. A hearing shall be held within 60 days after the petition is received. Due notice of the hearing shall be given by the board. If it is determined by the board that such land is not benefited by its inclusion in the watershed improvement district, such land shall be excluded from the district. The board shall certify such determination to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and shall furnish a copy of such certification to the clerk of the circuit court of each county in which any portion of such excluded land is situated for recordation in the public land records of each such county.

Landowners desiring a transfer of their land from one watershed improvement district to another may file a petition for such transfer with the board of supervisors of the soil and water conservation district in which the watershed improvement district is situated. The board of supervisors may hold such hearings as it deems appropriate to enable it to make a determination as to the desirability of the proposed transfer of land. If the board makes a determination in favor of such transfer of land, it shall certify such determination, setting out the new boundaries of the watershed improvement districts involved, to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and shall furnish a copy of such certification to the clerk of the circuit court of each county in which the affected watershed improvement districts are situated for recordation in the public land records of each such county.

Landowners within a watershed improvement district desiring a change of name of such district may file a petition for such change of name with the board of supervisors of the soil and water conservation district in which the watershed improvement district is situated. If the board approves the change of name, it shall certify the fact of such change of name to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and shall furnish a copy of such certification to the clerk of the circuit court of the county or counties in which the watershed improvement district is situated for recordation in the public land records of each such county.