Florida House of Representatives - 2003 - HB 885
Community Development Districts 
Filed by House Representative Ken Littlefield
 ( R ) -- District 61
THE FATE OF THIS BILL? (4-30-2003)

 
H885     GENERAL BILL by Ken Littlefield 
Community Development Districts; increases size of community development  districts established by county commissions; authorizes district to  enforce deed restrictions & architectural review for residential  properties within its boundaries; revises & clarifies requirements re  disclosure to purchasers of real estate within district. Amends  190.005,.011,.048.  EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon becoming law. 
02/28/03 HOUSE  Prefiled

HB 0885 2003 

1  A bill to be entitled 
2           An act relating to community development districts; 
3     amending s. 190.005, F.S.; increasing the size of 
4     community development districts established by county 
5     commissions; amending s. 190.011, F.S.; authorizing the 
6     district to enforce deed restrictions and architectural 
7     review for residential properties within its boundaries; 
8     amending s. 190.048, F.S.; revising and clarifying 
9     requirements relating to disclosure to purchasers of real 
10     estate within a district; providing an effective date. 
11 
12           Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
13 
14           Section 1. Section 190.005, Florida Statutes, is amended 
15     to read: 
16           190.005 Establishment of district.-- 
17           (1) The exclusive and uniform method for the establishment 
18     of a community development district with a size of 2,5001,000
19     acres or more shall be pursuant to a rule, adopted under chapter 
20     120 by the Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission, 
21     granting a petition for the establishment of a community 
22     development district. 
23           (a) A petition for the establishment of a community 
24     development district shall be filed by the petitioner with the 
25     Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission. The petition 
26     shall contain: 
27           1. A metes and bounds description of the external 
28     boundaries of the district. Any real property within the 
29     external boundaries of the district which is to be excluded from 
30     the district shall be specifically described, and the last known 
31     address of all owners of such real property shall be listed. The 
32     petition shall also address the impact of the proposed district 
33     on any real property within the external boundaries of the 
34     district which is to be excluded from the district. 
35           2. The written consent to the establishment of the 
36     district by all landowners whose real property is to be included 
37     in the district or documentation demonstrating that the 
38     petitioner has control by deed, trust agreement, contract, or 
39     option of 100 percent of the real property to be included in the 
40     district, and when real property to be included in the district 
41     is owned by a governmental entity and subject to a ground lease 
42     as described in s. 190.003(13), the written consent by such 
43     governmental entity. 
44           3. A designation of five persons to be the initial members 
45     of the board of supervisors, who shall serve in that office 
46     until replaced by elected members as provided in s. 190.006. 
47           4. The proposed name of the district. 
48           5. A map of the proposed district showing current major 
49     trunk water mains and sewer interceptors and outfalls if in 
50     existence. 
51           6. Based upon available data, the proposed timetable for 
52     construction of the district services and the estimated cost of 
53     constructing the proposed services. These estimates shall be 
54     submitted in good faith but shall not be binding and may be 
55     subject to change. 
56           7. A designation of the future general distribution, 
57     location, and extent of public and private uses of land proposed 
58     for the area within the district by the future land use plan 
59     element of the effective local government comprehensive plan of 
60     which all mandatory elements have been adopted by the applicable 
61     general-purpose local government in compliance with the Local 
62     Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development 
63     Regulation Act. 
64           8. A statement of estimated regulatory costs in accordance 
65     with the requirements of s. 120.541. 
66           (b) Prior to filing the petition, the petitioner shall: 
67           1. Pay a filing fee of $15,000 to the county and to each 
68     municipality the boundaries of which are contiguous with, or 
69     contain all or a portion of the land within, the external 
70     boundaries of the district. 
71           2. Submit a copy of the petition to the county and to each 
72     municipality the boundaries of which are contiguous with, or 
73     contain all or a portion of, the land within the external 
74     boundaries of the district. 
75           (c) Such county and each such municipality may conduct a 
76     public hearing to consider the relationship of the petition to 
77     the factors specified in paragraph (e). The public hearing shall 
78     be concluded within 45 days after the date the petition is filed 
79     unless an extension of time is requested by the petitioner and 
80     granted by the county or municipality. The county or 
81     municipality holding such public hearing may by resolution 
82     express its support of, or objection to the granting of, the 
83     petition by the Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission. 
84     A resolution must base any objection to the granting of the 
85     petition upon the factors specified in paragraph (e). Such 
86     county or municipality may present its resolution of support or 
87     objection at the Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission 
88     hearing and shall be afforded an opportunity to present relevant 
89     information in support of its resolution. 
90           (d) A local public hearing on the petition shall be 
91     conducted by a hearing officer in conformance with the 
92     applicable requirements and procedures of the Administrative 
93     Procedure Act. The hearing shall include oral and written 
94     comments on the petition pertinent to the factors specified in 
95     paragraph (e). The hearing shall be held at an accessible 
96     location in the county in which the community development 
97     district is to be located. The petitioner shall cause a notice 
98     of the hearing to be published in a newspaper at least once a 
99     week for the 4 successive weeks immediately prior to the 
100     hearing. Such notice shall give the time and place for the 
101     hearing, a description of the area to be included in the 
102     district, which description shall include a map showing clearly 
103     the area to be covered by the district, and any other relevant 
104     information which the establishing governing bodies may require. 
105     The advertisement shall not be placed in that portion of the 
106     newspaper where legal notices and classified advertisements 
107     appear. The advertisement shall be published in a newspaper of 
108     general paid circulation in the county and of general interest 
109     and readership in the community, not one of limited subject 
110     matter, pursuant to chapter 50. Whenever possible, the 
111     advertisement shall appear in a newspaper that is published at 
112     least 5 days a week, unless the only newspaper in the community 
113     is published fewer than 5 days a week. All affected units of 
114     general-purpose local government and the general public shall be 
115     given an opportunity to appear at the hearing and present oral 
116     or written comments on the petition. 
117           (e) The Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission 
118     shall consider the entire record of the local hearing, the 
119     transcript of the hearing, resolutions adopted by local general- 
120     purpose governments as provided in paragraph (c), and the 
121     following factors and make a determination to grant or deny a 
122     petition for the establishment of a community development 
123     district: 
124           1. Whether all statements contained within the petition 
125     have been found to be true and correct. 
126           2. Whether the establishment of the district is 
127     inconsistent with any applicable element or portion of the state 
128     comprehensive plan or of the effective local government 
129     comprehensive plan. 
130           3. Whether the area of land within the proposed district 
131     is of sufficient size, is sufficiently compact, and is 
132     sufficiently contiguous to be developable as one functional 
133     interrelated community. 
134           4. Whether the district is the best alternative available 
135     for delivering community development services and facilities to 
136     the area that will be served by the district. 
137           5. Whether the community development services and 
138     facilities of the district will be incompatible with the 
139     capacity and uses of existing local and regional community 
140     development services and facilities. 
141           6. Whether the area that will be served by the district is 
142     amenable to separate special-district government. 
143           (f) The Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission 
144     shall not adopt any rule which would expand, modify, or delete 
145     any provision of the uniform community development district 
146     charter as set forth in ss. 190.006-190.041, except as provided 
147     in s. 190.012. A rule establishing a community development 
148     district shall: 
149           1. Describe the external boundaries of the district and 
150     any real property within the external boundaries of the district 
151     which is to be excluded. 
152           2. Name five persons designated to be the initial members 
153     of the board of supervisors. 
154           3. Name the district. 
155           (g) The Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission may 
156     adopt rules setting forth its procedures for considering 
157     petitions to establish, expand, modify, or delete uniform 
158     community development districts or portions thereof consistent 
159     with the provisions of this section. 
160           (2) The exclusive and uniform method for the establishment 
161     of a community development district of less than 2,5001,000 
162     acres in size shall be pursuant to an ordinance adopted by the 
163     county commission of the county having jurisdiction over the 
164     majority of land in the area in which the district is to be 
165     located granting a petition for the establishment of a community 
166     development district as follows: 
167           (a) A petition for the establishment of a community 
168     development district shall be filed by the petitioner with the 
169     county commission. The petition shall contain the same 
170     information as required in paragraph (1)(a). 
171           (b) A public hearing on the petition shall be conducted by 
172     the county commission in accordance with the requirements and 
173     procedures of paragraph (1)(d). 
174           (c) The county commission shall consider the record of the 
175     public hearing and the factors set forth in paragraph (1)(e) in 
176     making its determination to grant or deny a petition for the 
177     establishment of a community development district. 
178           (d) The county commission shall not adopt any ordinance 
179     which would expand, modify, or delete any provision of the 
180     uniform community development district charter as set forth in 
181     ss. 190.006-190.041. An ordinance establishing a community 
182     development district shall include the matters provided for in 
183     paragraph (1)(f). 
184           (e) If all of the land in the area for the proposed 
185     district is within the territorial jurisdiction of a municipal 
186     corporation, then the petition requesting establishment of a 
187     community development district under this act shall be filed by 
188     the petitioner with that particular municipal corporation. In 
189     such event, the duties of the county, hereinabove described, in 
190     action upon the petition shall be the duties of the municipal 
191     corporation. If any of the land area of a proposed district is 
192     within the land area of a municipality, the county commission 
193     may not create the district without municipal approval. 
194           (f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
195     subsection, within 90 days after a petition for the 
196     establishment of a community development district has been filed 
197     pursuant to this subsection, the governing body of the county or 
198     municipal corporation may transfer the petition to the Florida 
199     Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission, which shall make the 
200     determination to grant or deny the petition as provided in 
201     subsection (1). A county or municipal corporation shall have no 
202     right or power to grant or deny a petition that has been 
203     transferred to the Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory 
204     Commission. 
205           (3) The governing body of any existing special district, 
206     created to provide one or more of the public improvements and 
207     community facilities authorized by this act, may petition for 
208     reestablishment of the existing district as a community 
209     development district pursuant to this act. The petition shall 
210     contain the information specified in subparagraphs (1)(a)1., 3., 
211     4., 5., 6., and 7. and shall not require payment of a fee 
212     pursuant to paragraph (1)(b). In such case, the new district so 
213     formed shall assume the existing obligations, indebtedness, and 
214     guarantees of indebtedness of the district so subsumed, and the 
215     existing district shall be terminated. 
216           Section 2. Subsection (17) is added to section 190.011, 
217     Florida Statutes, to read: 
218           190.011 General powers.--The district shall have, and the 
219     board may exercise, the following powers: 
220          (17) To enforce deed restrictions and architectural review
221     for residential properties within its boundaries, as described
222     in s. 720.305. 
223           Section 3. Section 190.048, Florida Statutes, is amended 
224     to read: 
225           190.048 Sale of real estate within a district; required 
226     disclosure to purchaser.--Subsequent to the establishment of a 
227     district under this chapter, each contract for the initial sale 
228     of a parcel of real property and each contract for the initial 
229     sale of a residential unit within the district shall include, 
230     immediately prior to the space reserved in the contract for the 
231     signature of the purchaser, the following disclosure statement 
232     in boldfaced and conspicuous type which is larger than the type 
233     in the remaining text of the contract: "THE ... (Name of 
234     District) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT MAY IMPOSE AND LEVY 
235     TAXES OR ASSESSMENTS, OR BOTH TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS, ON THIS 
236     PROPERTY. THESE TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS PAY THE CONSTRUCTION, 
237     OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE COSTS OF CERTAIN PUBLIC FACILITIES 
238     AND SERVICES OF THE DISTRICT AND ARE SET ANNUALLY BY THE 
239     GOVERNING BOARD OF THE DISTRICT. THESE TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS ARE 
240     IN ADDITION TO COUNTY AND OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL TAXES AND 
241     ASSESSMENTS AND ALL OTHER TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS PROVIDED FOR BY 
242     LAW. THE BOND ASSESSMENT FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR IS (amount)
243     AND THE TOTAL OF THE OTHER ASSESSMENTS FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL
244     YEAR IS (amount)." 
245           Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.