Title XI, County Organization and Intergovernmental Relations

(1) Any county may provide for the construction or reconstruction of a facility and for the levying of special assessments upon benefited property under the provisions of this section. The initial proceeding hereunder shall be the passage at any lawful meeting of the commission o…

(1) The county commission is hereby authorized to provide by resolution at one time or from time to time for the issuance of either water revenue bonds, sewer revenue bonds, or general obligation bonds of the county for the purpose of paying all or any part of the cost of any one…

(1) No general obligation bonds shall be issued by county unless the issuance of such bonds shall be approved by a majority of the votes that are cast in an election in which a majority of the freeholders who are qualified electors residing in the county shall participate. Such e…

(1) The county commission is hereby authorized to establish within the county such water and sewer districts as it may deem necessary. For the purpose of providing for and financing the facilities provided for in this chapter, general obligation bonds may be issued covering the f…

(1) Water revenue bonds may be used only in connection with the acquisition, construction or operation of water supply systems or water system improvements, and sewer revenue bonds may be used only in connection with the acquisition, construction and operation of sewage disposal …

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 153.09, the county may issue water and sewer revenue bonds for the purpose of the construction, acquisition, or improvement of water supply systems or water system improvements and sewage disposal systems or sewer improvements, which have …

(1) As soon as practicable after the authorization of bonds under the provisions of this chapter or the appropriation of moneys for the construction of water system improvements or sewer improvements, the commission shall publish once, in a newspaper published in the county, and,…

(1)(a) The county commission shall in the resolution providing for the issuance of either water revenue bonds or sewer revenue bonds, or both, fix the initial schedule of rates, fees and other charges for the use of and for the services furnished or to be furnished by the facilit…

(1) Upon the construction of a sewage disposal system and the financing of such construction by the issuance of sewer revenue bonds under the provisions of this chapter, the owner, tenant or occupant of each lot or parcel of land within the county which abuts upon a street or oth…

(1) All revenues derived from any water supply system, water system improvement, sewage disposal system or sewer improvements for either of which a single issue of water revenue bonds or sewer revenue bonds shall be issued, except such part thereof as may be required to pay the c…

All moneys received pursuant to the authority of this chapter shall be deemed to be trust funds, to be held and applied solely as provided in this chapter. The resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds shall provide that any officer to whom, or any bank, trust company or other…

Any holder of bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter or any of the coupons appertaining thereto, except to the extent the rights herein given may be restricted by the resolution authorizing the issuance of such bonds, may, either at law or in equity, by suit, mandamus …

The county commission is hereby authorized to provide by resolution for the issuance of water revenue refunding bonds of the county for the purpose of refunding any water revenue bonds then outstanding and issued under the provisions of this chapter. The county commission is furt…

The county commission is hereby authorized to provide by resolution for the issuance of sewer revenue refunding bonds of the county for the purpose of refunding any sewer revenue bonds then outstanding and issued under the provisions of this chapter. The county commission is furt…

As proper facilities for the furnishing of water for human consumption and fire protection and proper facilities for the treatment, purification and disposal of sewage are essential for the health of the inhabitants of the county and for its industrial and commercial development,…

No jurisdiction hereunder shall be exercised by the board of county commissioners over any privately owned industrial water supply system or the disposition of industrial or manufacturing wastes nor shall any rule or regulation be adopted or suit instituted or prosecuted hereunde…

(1) This chapter shall be deemed to provide an additional and alternative method for the doing of the things authorized hereby and shall be regarded as supplemental and additional to the powers conferred upon the commission by other laws, and shall not be regarded as in derogatio…

This law may be known and cited as the “County Water and Sewer District Law.”History.—s. 1, ch. 59-466.

It is declared as a matter of legislative determination that the extensive growth of population and attendant industry and commerce throughout the state has given rise to public health and water supply problems of statewide concern, in that many unincorporated areas of the counti…

As used in this law, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings, unless some other meaning is plainly intended:(1) “District” shall mean any unincorporated contiguous area comprising part but not all of the area of any county created into and existing as a wa…

(1) Subject to this law, the board of county commissioners of any county may establish one or more districts as it shall in its discretion determine to be necessary in the public interest. Any such district shall consist of only unincorporated contiguous areas of such county, com…

Upon receipt of a petition duly signed by not less than 25 qualified electors who are also freeholders residing within an area proposed to be incorporated into a water and sewer district pursuant to this law and describing in general terms the proposed boundaries of such proposed…

(1) Upon submission of any such report the board of county commissioners shall hold a public hearing upon such report and the question of the creation of such district, giving at least 20 days’ notice of such hearing by advertisement in a newspaper published in the county and cir…

(1) If the board of county commissioners shall deem that the creation of the proposed district is necessary in the public interest as provided in s. 153.55, it shall call an election for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors residing in said proposed district the qu…

The inspectors and clerks for said election or elections shall be appointed by and the ballots to be voted shall be prepared and furnished by the board of county commissioners, which shall designate the polling place or places at which such election or elections shall be held. Th…

(1) Immediately after any such election or elections the board of county commissioners shall hold a meeting and shall canvass the votes cast at said election or elections and declare the results thereof by resolution.(a) If a majority of the qualified electors who vote in said el…

The circuit court in and for any county so establishing a district is vested with jurisdiction in any such proceedings or suits affecting the creation of such districts and all matters pertinent thereto and shall give preference and priority to any such actions or proceedings pen…

The board of county commissioners of the county in which any such district is created shall be the ex officio governing board of such district. Such district shall be a body corporate and politic, exercising essential governmental functions and shall have the power to sue and be …

The preliminary expenses for the creation and incorporation of any such district, including election expenses, expenses for legal, financial or other services in connection with the preliminary report undertaken pursuant to s. 153.54, shall be payable out of general county funds,…

The district board for and on behalf of any district created hereunder in addition to and supplementing other powers granted in this law, is authorized and empowered:(1) To make rules and regulations for its own government and proceedings and to adopt an official seal for the dis…

(1) The district board for and on behalf of any district is authorized to provide from time to time for the issuance of revenue bonds to pay all or part of the cost of a water system or sewer system, or both, or any additions, extensions or improvements thereto. The principal of …

(1) The district board shall fix the initial schedule of rates, fees or other charges for the use of and the services and facilities to be furnished by any such water system or sewer system to be paid by the owner, tenant or occupant of each lot or parcel of land which may be con…

The proceeds of all bonds or other obligations issued under this law and all revenues derived from the operation of any water system or sewer system for the payment of all or part of the cost of which any bonds or other obligations authorized by this law have been issued shall be…

In addition to the other provisions and requirements of this law any resolution authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds, general obligation bonds, assessment bonds or any other obligations issued hereunder, may contain provisions and the district board is authorized to provide …

In the event that the fees, rates or charges for the services and facilities of any water or sewer system shall not be paid as and when due, any unpaid balance thereof and all interest accruing thereon shall be a lien on any parcel or property affected thereby. Such liens shall b…

(1) The district board is hereby authorized to provide by resolution from time to time for the issuance of general obligation bonds pledging the full faith and credit of the district for the payment thereof, for the purpose of paying all or part of the cost of the acquisition or …

The amount of any such annual taxes so levied for general obligation bonds or as additional security for revenue bonds or assessment bonds shall be certified by the district board to the property appraiser of the county who shall be ex officio tax assessor for the district, and s…

Any general obligation bonds shall be authorized by resolution of the district board and the provisions of s. 153.63 relative to maturities, execution, rate or rates of interest, redemption prior to maturity, registration, method of sale, and all other matters in said s. 153.63 n…

Prior to the issuance of any revenue bonds, general obligation bonds, assessment bonds or other obligations, the district board may, in its discretion, publish a notice at least once in a newspaper published in the county and circulating in the district, or posted in the manner p…

All revenue bonds, general obligation bonds or assessment bonds issued hereunder shall be and constitute, and have all the qualities and incidents of negotiable instruments under the law merchant and the negotiable instruments law of Florida, and shall not be invalid for any irre…

Any district may provide for the construction or reconstruction of assessable improvements as defined in s. 153.52, and for the levying of special assessments upon benefited property for the payment thereof, under this section.(1) The initial proceeding under this section shall b…

(1) The district board may, after any assessments for assessable improvements are made, determined and confirmed as provided in s. 153.73, issue certificates of indebtedness for the amount so assessed against the abutting property or property otherwise benefited, as the case may …

The district board shall cause to be made at least once each year a comprehensive report of its water system or sewer system or both including all matters relating to rates, revenues, expenses of maintenance, repair and operation and renewals and capital replacements, principal a…

As the exercise of the powers conferred by this law constitutes the performance of essential public functions and as any water system or sewer system or both constructed under the provisions of this law constitute public property used for public purposes such districts and all pr…

All revenue bonds, general obligation bonds, or assessment bonds issued pursuant to this law shall be and constitute legal investments for state, county, municipal, and all other public funds and for banks, savings banks, insurance companies, executors, administrators, trustees, …

Any district is authorized to enter into agreements for the delivery of any revenue bonds, general obligation bonds or assessment bonds at one time or from time to time as full or partial payment for the services of any engineer or work done by any contractor who may have been re…