Chapter 290 — Chapter 290

Sections 290.001-290.016 may be cited as the “Florida Enterprise Zone Act.”

It is the policy of this state to provide the necessary means to assist local communities, their residents, and the private sector in creating the proper economic and social environment to induce the investment of private resources in productive business enterprises located in se…

As used in ss. 290.001-290.016:(1) “Community investment corporation” means a black business investment corporation, a certified development corporation, a small business investment corporation, or other similar entity incorporated under Florida law that has limited its investmen…

(1) If, pursuant to s. 290.0065, an opportunity exists for designation of a new enterprise zone, any county or municipality, or a county and one or more municipalities together, may apply to the department for the designation of an area as an enterprise zone after completion of t…

(1) Upon adoption of the resolution as provided in s. 290.0055(1)(a), the county or municipality shall create a public body corporate and politic to be known as an “enterprise zone development agency.” For an area nominated by a county and one or more municipalities jointly, the …

(1) Any application for designation as a new enterprise zone must be accompanied by a strategic plan adopted by the governing body of the municipality or county, or the governing bodies of the county and one or more municipalities together. At a minimum, the plan must:(a) Briefly…

(1) In determining whether an area suffers from pervasive poverty, unemployment, and general distress, for purposes of ss. 290.0055 and 290.0065, the governing body and the department shall use data from the most current decennial census, and from information published by the Bur…

(1) The maximum number of enterprise zones authorized under this section is the number of enterprise zones having an effective date on or before January 1, 2005, subject to any increase due to any new enterprise zones authorized by the Legislature during the 2005 Regular Session …

(1) The department may revoke the designation of an enterprise zone if the department determines that the governing body or bodies:(a) Have failed to make progress in achieving the benchmarks set forth in the strategic plan or measurable goals; or(b) Have not complied substantial…

(1) Notwithstanding the enterprise zone residency requirements set out in s. 212.096(1)(c), eligible businesses as defined in s. 212.096(1)(a) located in rural enterprise zones as defined in s. 290.004 may receive the basic minimum credit provided under s. 212.096 for creating a …

The following incentives are provided by the state to encourage the revitalization of enterprise zones:(1) The enterprise zone jobs credit provided in s. 220.181.(2) The enterprise zone property tax credit provided in s. 220.182.(3) The community contribution tax credits provided…

The City of Lakeland may apply to the department for designation of one enterprise zone for an area within the City of Lakeland, which zone shall encompass an area up to 10 square miles. Notwithstanding s. 290.0065, limiting the total number of enterprise zones designated and the…

The City of Winter Haven may apply to the department for designation of one enterprise zone for an area within the City of Winter Haven, which zone shall encompass an area up to 5 square miles. Notwithstanding s. 290.0065 limiting the total number of enterprise zones designated a…

The City of Ocala may apply to the department for designation of one enterprise zone for an area within the western portion of the city, which zone shall encompass an area up to 5 square miles. Notwithstanding s. 290.0065 limiting the total number of enterprise zones designated a…

Martin County may apply to the department for designation of one enterprise zone for an area within Martin County, which zone shall encompass an area of up to 10 square miles consisting of land within the primary urban services boundary and focusing on Indiantown, but excluding p…

The City of Palm Bay may apply to the department for designation of one enterprise zone for an area within the northeast portion of the city, which zone shall encompass an area of up to 5 square miles. Notwithstanding s. 290.0065 limiting the total number of enterprise zones desi…

Lake County may apply to the department for designation of one enterprise zone, which zone shall encompass an area of up to 10 square miles within Lake County. Notwithstanding s. 290.0065 limiting the total number of enterprise zones designated and the number of enterprise zones …

Charlotte County may apply to the Department of Commerce for designation of one enterprise zone encompassing an area not to exceed 20 square miles within Charlotte County. Notwithstanding s. 290.0065 limiting the total number of enterprise zones designated and the number of enter…

Indian River County, the City of Vero Beach, and the City of Sebastian may jointly apply to the department for designation of one enterprise zone encompassing an area not to exceed 10 square miles. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 290.0065 limiting the total number of enterpr…

Citrus County may apply to the department for designation of one enterprise zone for an area within Citrus County. Notwithstanding s. 290.0065 limiting the total number of enterprise zones designated and the number of enterprise zones within a population category, the department …

Sumter County may apply to the department for designation of one enterprise zone encompassing an area not to exceed 10 square miles. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 290.0065 limiting the total number of enterprise zones designated and the number of enterprise zones within a …

Orange County and the municipality of Apopka may jointly apply to the department for designation of one enterprise zone. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 290.0065 limiting the total number of enterprise zones designated and the number of enterprise zones within a population c…

Any enterprise zone having an effective date on or before January 1, 2005, shall continue to exist until December 31, 2005, and shall cease to exist on that date. Any enterprise zone designated or redesignated on or after January 1, 2006, must be designated or redesignated in acc…

(1)(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that each ordinance adopted by a local government possessing an approved enterprise zone after January 1, 1995, when applicable, provide encouragements and incentives to increase rehabilitation, renovation, restoration, improvement, or n…

(1) By October 1 of each year, the Department of Revenue shall submit an annual report to the department detailing the usage and revenue impact by county of the state incentives listed in s. 290.007.(2) The annual report required under s. 20.60 shall include the information provi…

Sections 290.001-290.014 are repealed December 31, 2015.

Sections 290.0401-290.048 may be cited as the “Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program Act.”

It is the intent of the Legislature to provide the necessary means to develop, preserve, redevelop, and revitalize Florida communities exhibiting signs of decline, distress, or economic need by enabling local governments to undertake the necessary community and economic developme…

As used in ss. 290.0401-290.048, the term:(1) “Administrative closeout” means the notification of a grantee by the department that all applicable administrative actions and all required work of the grant have been completed with the exception of the final audit.(2) “Administrativ…

There is created the Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program. The department shall administer the program as authorized and described in Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended; Pub. L. No. 93-383, as amended by Pub. L. No. …

(1) The Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program Fund is created. All revenue designated for deposit in such fund shall be deposited by the appropriate agency. The department shall administer this fund as a grant and loan guarantee program for carrying out t…

(1) The Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Loan Guarantee Program is created. The department shall administer the loan guarantee program pursuant to Section 108 of Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, and as further amended by s. 9…

(1) In applying for a grant under a specific program category, an applicant shall propose eligible activities that directly address the objectives of that program category.(2)(a) The department shall establish minimum criteria pertaining to the number of jobs created for persons …

(1) For all program categories, the department shall incorporate into its system of competitively ranking applications a procedure intended to eliminate or reduce any existing population-related bias that places exceptionally small communities at a disadvantage in the competition…

Applications are ineligible for funding if any of the following circumstances arise:(1) The application is not received by the department by the application deadline;(2) The proposed project does not meet one of the three national objectives as contained in federal and state legi…

The department has all the powers necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes and provisions of the program, including the power to:(1) Make contracts and agreements with the Federal Government; other agencies of the state; any other public agency; or any other public pers…

(1) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the “Florida Empowerment Zone Act.”(2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:(a) “Department” means the Department of Commerce.(b) “Federal Empowerment Zone Program” means the empowerment zone program established in 26 U.S.C.…

(1) The Legislature finds that attracting, retaining, and providing favorable conditions for businesses which contribute to the economic health of small communities through the generation of business and employment opportunities is in the public interest. The Legislature recogniz…

Notwithstanding s. 290.0065(1), the Department of Commerce, upon request of the host county, shall designate as a rural enterprise zone any catalyst site as defined in s. 288.0656(2)(b) that was approved before January 1, 2010, and that is not located in an existing rural enterpr…