Fla. Stat. § 288.975 — Florida Code / Title XIX / Chapter 288 / Part X / Section 288.975
288.975 Military base reuse plans.
Status: in_force

(1) This section contains optional provisions for military base reuse planning in recognition of the importance of ensuring prompt and effective planning for the conversion of military bases designated for closure by the Federal Government to maximize the welfare of impacted local governments and their constituents. While the reuse of these military bases shall provide substantial economic benefits to their host local governments, reuse activities may also have an adverse impact on the public facilities and services of local governments and impact resources and facilities of regional and statewide significance. The intent of this section is to address this unique relationship by providing for an optional military base reuse planning process that supersedes the provisions of chapter 380 pertaining to developments of regional impact and the requirements of part II of chapter 163, except as provided in this section.

(2) As used in this section, the term: (a) “Affected local government” means a local government adjoining the host local government and any other unit of local government that is not a host local government but that is identified in a proposed military base reuse plan as providing, operating, or maintaining one or more public facilities as defined in s. 163.3164 on lands within or serving a military base designated for closure by the Federal Government. (b) “Affected person” means a host local government; an affected local government; any state, regional, or federal agency; or a person who resides, owns property, or owns or operates a business within the boundaries of a host local government or affected local government. (c) “Base reuse activities” means development as defined in s. 380.04 on a military base designated for closure or closed by the Federal Government. (d) “Host local government” means a local government within the jurisdiction of which all or part of a military base designated for closure by the Federal Government is located. This shall not include a county if no part of a military base is located in its unincorporated area. (e) “Military base” means a military base designated for closure or closed by the Federal Government. (f) “Regional policy plan” means a strategic regional policy plan that has been adopted by rule by a regional planning council pursuant to s. 186.508. (g) “State comprehensive plan” means the plan as provided in chapter 187.

(3) No later than 6 months after the designation of a military base for closure by the Federal Government, each host local government shall notify the department in writing, by hand delivery or return receipt requested, as to whether it intends to use the optional provisions provided in this act. If a host local government does not opt to use the provisions of this act, land use planning and regulation pertaining to base reuse activities within those host local governments shall be subject to all applicable statutory requirements, including those contained within chapters 163 and 380.

(4)(a) Military base reuse plans shall contain the following elements: future land use; intergovernmental coordination; transportation, which shall include roads, public transportation, and ports, aviation, and related facilities; capital improvements; coastal management, where applicable; recreation and open space; housing; conservation; and general infrastructure, which shall include potable water, sanitary sewer, solid waste, aquifer recharge, and stormwater management. Each element of the plan shall contain standards to assure compatibility with and minimize impacts on the surrounding community. Each element shall comply with the nonprocedural requirements for such related elements contained in part II of chapter 163 and rules adopted thereunder. The plan shall address each noncontiguous portion of a base specifically. (b) Military base reuse plans shall identify the need for and plans for provision of the following facilities and services for at least the next 5 years: roads, parking, public transportation, solid waste, drainage, sanitary sewer, potable water, and recreation and open space. (c) Military base reuse plans shall identify projected impacts to significant regional resources and natural resources of regional significance as identified by applicable regional planning councils in their regional policy plans and the actions that shall be taken to mitigate such impacts. (d) Data and analyses on which the plans are based shall include, at a minimum, the characteristics of vacant lands, projected use of vacant lands and redevelopment of developed lands, projected population growth, existing and projected public facilities, and projected impacts of base reuse activities on natural resources and those onsite and offsite public facilities and services listed in paragraph (b). (e) Military base reuse plans may contain additional elements and provisions at the option of the host local government.

(5) At the discretion of the host local government, the provisions of this act may be complied with through the adoption of the military base reuse plan as a separate component of the local government comprehensive plan or through simultaneous amendments to all pertinent portions of the local government comprehensive plan. Once adopted and approved in accordance with this section, the military base reuse plan shall be considered to be part of the host local government’s comprehensive plan and shall be thereafter implemented, amended, and reviewed pursuant to part II of chapter 163.

(6) In the preparation and review of the military base reuse plans, local governments and regional and state agencies shall make every effort to avoid duplicative reviews and to use information and analyses generated by the federal environmental impact statement process and the federal community base reuse plan process.

(7) A military base reuse plan shall be consistent with the comprehensive plan of the host local government and shall not conflict with the comprehensive plan of any affected local governments. A military base reuse plan shall be consistent with the nonprocedural requirements of part II of chapter 163 and rules adopted thereunder, applicable regional policy plans, and the state comprehensive plan.

(8) At the request of a host local government, the department shall coordinate a presubmission workshop concerning a military base reuse plan within the boundaries of the host jurisdiction. Agencies that shall participate in the workshop shall include any affected local governments; the Department of Environmental Protection; the department; the Department of Transportation; the Department of Health; the Department of Children and Families; the Department of Juvenile Justice; the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; the Department of State; the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; and any applicable water management districts and regional planning councils. The purposes of the workshop shall be to assist the host local government to understand issues of concern to the above listed entities pertaining to the military base site and to identify opportunities for better coordination of planning and review efforts with the information and analyses generated by the federal environmental impact statement process and the federal community base reuse planning process.

(9) If a host local government elects to use the optional provisions of this act, it shall, no later than 12 months after notifying the agencies of its intent pursuant to subsection (3) either: (a) Send a copy of the proposed military base reuse plan for review to any affected local governments; the Department of Environmental Protection; the department; the Department of Transportation; the Department of Health; the Department of Children and Families; the Department of Juvenile Justice; the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; the Department of State; the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; and any applicable water management districts and regional planning councils, or (b) Petition the department for an extension of the deadline for submitting a proposed reuse plan. Such an extension request must be justified by changes or delays in the closure process by the federal Department of Defense or for reasons otherwise deemed to promote the orderly and beneficial planning of the subject military base reuse. The department may grant extensions to the required submission date of the reuse plan.

(10) Within 60 days after receipt of a proposed military base reuse plan, these entities shall review and provide comments to the host local government. The commencement of this review period shall be advertised in newspapers of general circulation within the host local government and any affected local government to allow for public comment. No later than 180 days after receipt and consideration of all comments, and the holding of at least two public hearings, the host local government shall adopt the military base reuse plan. The host local government shall comply with the notice requirements set forth in s. 163.3184(11) to ensure full public participation in this planning process.

(11) Copies of the adopted military base reuse plan shall be forwarded within 10 days after its adoption to any affected local governments and regional and state agencies that submitted comments on the proposed military base reuse plan. In addition, notice shall be published in newspapers of general circulation in the host and any affected local governments. The notice shall state how and where a copy of the plan may be obtained or inspected. Within 45 days after receipt of the adopted military base reuse plan, or 45 days after the publication of the notice of the availability of the adopted plan for review, whichever is later, an affected person who submitted comments on the proposed plan may petition the host local government, challenging the military base reuse plan as not being in compliance with this act or any rule adopted pursuant to this act. The petition shall state each objection, identify its source, and provide a recommended action.

(12) Following receipt of a petition, the petitioning party or parties and the host local government shall seek resolution of the issues in dispute. The issues in dispute shall be resolved as follows: (a) The petitioning parties and host local government shall have 45 days to resolve the issues in dispute. Other affected parties that submitted comments on the proposed military base reuse plan may be given the opportunity to formally participate in decisions and agreements made in these and subsequent proceedings by mutual consent of the petitioning party and the host local government. A third-party mediator may be used to help resolve the issues in dispute. (b) If resolution of the dispute cannot be achieved within 45 days, the petitioning parties and host local government may extend such dispute resolution for up to 45 days. If resolution of the dispute cannot be achieved with the above timeframes, the issues in dispute shall be submitted to the state land planning agency. If the issues stem from multiple petitions, the mediation shall be consolidated into a single proceeding. The state land planning agency shall have 45 days to hold informal hearings, if necessary, identify the issues in dispute, prepare a record of the proceedings, and provide recommended solutions to the parties. If the parties fail to implement the recommended solutions within 45 days, the state land planning agency shall submit the matter to the Administration Commission for final action. The report to the Administration Commission shall list each issue in dispute, describe the nature and basis for each dispute, identify the recommended solutions provided to the parties, and make recommendations for actions the Administration Commission should take to resolve the disputed issues. (c) If the state land planning agency is a party to the dispute, the issues in dispute shall be submitted to a party jointly selected by the state land planning agency and the host local government. The selected party shall comply with the responsibilities placed upon the state land planning agency in this section. (d) Within 45 days after receiving the report from the state land planning agency, the Administration Commission shall take action to resolve the issues in dispute. In deciding upon a proper resolution, the Administration Commission shall consider the nature of the issues in dispute, any requests for a formal administrative hearing pursuant to chapter 120, the compliance of the parties with this section, the extent of the conflict between the parties, the comparative hardships and the public interest involved. If the Administration Commission incorporates in its final order a term or condition that requires any local government to amend its local government comprehensive plan, the local government shall amend its plan within 60 days after the issuance of the order. A public hearing on such amendment or amendments pursuant to s. 163.3184(11)(b)1. is not required. The final order of the Administration Commission is subject to appeal pursuant to s. 120.68. If the order of the Administration Commission is appealed, the time for the local government to amend its plan shall be tolled during the pendency of any local, state, or federal administrative or judicial proceeding relating to the military base reuse plan.

(13) Following adoption of a military base reuse plan and resolution of any petitions filed pertaining to the plan, base reuse activities shall be exempt from all provisions of chapter 380 pertaining to developments of regional impact.

(14) No later than 150 days following adoption of a military base reuse plan and resolution of any petitions filed pertaining to the plan, the host local government shall adopt new land development regulations or amend existing land development regulations as necessary to fully implement the military base reuse plan. With the exception of the 150-day adoption period, the adoption, review and enforcement of land development regulations pursuant to this section shall be governed by the provisions of ss. 163.3201, 163.3202, 163.3213, and 163.3215.

History: s. 6, ch. 94-323; s. 116, ch. 96-320; s. 5, ch. 96-348; s. 45, ch. 97-100; s. 24, ch. 98-176; s. 53, ch. 99-8; s. 86, ch. 99-245; s. 61, ch. 2008-4; s. 44, ch. 2011-139; s. 193, ch. 2011-142; s. 16, ch. 2012-99; s. 55, ch. 2014-19.