Title XI, County Organization and Intergovernmental Relations

The board of county commissioners of any of the counties may, by assignments to legally qualified personnel, whose services are made available as provided in s. 161.27, initiate and carry on such studies and investigations as may be necessary to plan a logical and suitable progra…

Upon adoption of a reasonably final plan of improvement for the beach and shore preservation program for the entire county, the board of county commissioners shall conduct, through the use of personnel competent and qualified in this field, an economic analysis of the proposed pr…

(1) Districts established under the provisions of this part shall constitute public bodies corporate and politic, exercising public powers and all other powers and duties incident to such bodies.(2) The board of county commissioners shall serve as the governing body for all distr…

This part shall not be construed to impair the existence, powers or functions of any existing erosion prevention, beach or shore preservation districts created by special or local act; provided, however, that any such existing district may re-create and reestablish itself under t…

(1) The board of county commissioners, for itself or on behalf of any and all duly established beach and shore preservation districts within the county, may enter into cooperative agreements and otherwise cooperate with, and meet the requirements and conditions of, federal, state…

The board of county commissioners shall coordinate the work and activity of all districts established hereunder within the county and, to further ensure harmony and consistency with the overall county beach and shore preservation plan, shall establish working liaison with each mu…

(1) With the consent of the department and of any municipality or other political authority involved, the board of county commissioners may regulate and supervise all physical work or activity along the county shoreline which is likely to have a material physical effect on existi…

In order to most effectively carry out the purposes of this part, the board of county commissioners, as the county beach and shore preservation authority and as the governing body of each beach and shore preservation district established thereby, shall be possessed of broad power…

(1) To provide for the capital, operation and maintenance cost of the beach and shore preservation program, either by debt service or direct expenditure, the board of county commissioners as the governing body of each district created in accordance with this part may levy upon al…

(1) The board of county commissioners, for and on behalf of each or any district created in accordance with this part, is authorized to provide from time to time for the issuance of bonds to obtain funds to meet the costs of the beach and shore preservation program; provided, how…

(1) When two or more counties have created one or more beach preservation districts as provided for under this part or any other law with same or like intent, or desire to carry out programs of beach and shore preservation, and find it to be mutually beneficial, the boards of cou…

All properties, revenues and other assets of the board of county commissioners acting as the beach and shore preservation authority, or of any of the districts created thereby, shall, by recognition of its essential public function, be exempt from all taxation by the state or any…

The provisions of ss. 161.25-161.40 shall be liberally construed by all concerned in a manner to best accomplish the beach and shore preservation purposes and programs.History.—s. 3, ch. 65-408.

The county erosion districts created under the provisions of chapter 158, and presently in existence shall not be affected by the repeal of chapter 158.History.—s. 2, ch. 65-126.

Sections 161.52-161.58 may be cited as the “Coastal Zone Protection Act of 1985.”History.—s. 36, ch. 85-55.

(1) The Legislature recognizes that coastal areas play an important role in protecting the ecology and the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the state; that in recent years the coastal areas have been subjected to increasing growth pressures; and that unless t…

In construing ss. 161.52-161.58:(1) “Coastal building zone” means the land area from the seasonal high-water line landward to a line 1,500 feet landward from the coastal construction control line as established pursuant to s. 161.053, and, for those coastal areas fronting on the …

The following requirements shall apply beginning March 1, 1986, to construction within the coastal building zone and shall be minimum standards for construction in this area:(1) REGULATION OF COASTAL MINOR STRUCTURES.—Minor structures shall be designed to produce the minimum adve…

(1) Nothing in ss. 161.52-161.58 shall be construed to limit or abrogate the right and power of the department to require permits or to adopt and enforce standards pursuant to s. 161.041 or s. 161.053 for construction seaward of the coastal construction control line that are as r…

(1) The Legislature finds that it is necessary to ensure that the purchasers of interests in real property located in coastal areas partially or totally seaward of the coastal construction control line as defined in s. 161.053 are fully apprised of the character of the regulation…

(1) Vehicular traffic, except that which is necessary for cleanup, repair, or public safety, and except for traffic upon authorized local or state dune crossovers, is prohibited on the dunes or native stabilizing vegetation of the dune system of coastal beaches. Except as otherwi…

This part may be cited as the “Oceans and Coastal Resources Act.”History.—s. 1, ch. 2005-166.

As used in this part, the term:(1) “Commission” means the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission created in s. 9, Art. IV of the State Constitution.(2) “Council” means the Florida Oceans and Coastal Council created by this act.(3) “Department” means the Department of Environme…

(1) The Legislature finds that:(a) The oceans and coastal resources of the United States are of national importance;(b) The United States Commission on Ocean Policy has made 212 recommendations, and the President has responded with an Ocean Action Plan to better protect and prese…

The Florida Oceans and Coastal Council is created within the Department of Environmental Protection and shall consist of 18 members. The secretary, the executive director, and the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, or their designees, shall serve…

(1) RESEARCH REVIEW.—Prior to the development of the research plan, the council shall review and compile the existing, ongoing, and planned ocean and coastal research and monitoring activities relevant to this state. Included in this review shall be the “Florida’s Ocean Strategie…

This part does not restrict or limit the authority otherwise granted to the commission, or other state agencies by law.History.—s. 1, ch. 2005-166.

Sections 162.01-162.13 may be cited as the “Local Government Code Enforcement Boards Act.”History.—s. 1, ch. 80-300; s. 72, ch. 81-259; s. 1, ch. 82-37.Note.—Former s. 166.051.

It is the intent of this part to promote, protect, and improve the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the counties and municipalities of this state by authorizing the creation of administrative boards with authority to impose administrative fines and other noncriminal…

(1) Each county or municipality may, at its option, create or abolish by ordinance local government code enforcement boards as provided herein.(2) A charter county, a noncharter county, or a municipality may, by ordinance, adopt an alternate code enforcement system that gives cod…

As used in ss. 162.01-162.13, the term:(1) “Local governing body” means the governing body of the county or municipality, however designated.(2) “Code inspector” means any authorized agent or employee of the county or municipality whose duty it is to assure code compliance.(3) “L…

(1) The local governing body may appoint one or more code enforcement boards and legal counsel for the enforcement boards. The local governing body of a county or a municipality that has a population of less than 5,000 persons may appoint five-member or seven-member code enforcem…

(1)(a) It shall be the duty of the code inspector to initiate enforcement proceedings of the various codes; however, no member of a board shall have the power to initiate such enforcement proceedings.(b) A code inspector may not initiate enforcement proceedings for a potential vi…

(1) Upon request of the code inspector, or at such other times as may be necessary, the chair of an enforcement board may call a hearing of an enforcement board; a hearing also may be called by written notice signed by at least three members of a seven-member enforcement board or…

Each enforcement board shall have the power to:(1) Adopt rules for the conduct of its hearings.(2) Subpoena alleged violators and witnesses to its hearings. Subpoenas may be served by the sheriff of the county or police department of the municipality.(3) Subpoena evidence to its …

(1) An enforcement board, upon notification by the code inspector that an order of the enforcement board has not been complied with by the set time or upon finding that a repeat violation has been committed, may order the violator to pay a fine in an amount specified in this sect…

No lien provided under the Local Government Code Enforcement Boards Act shall continue for a period longer than 20 years after the certified copy of an order imposing a fine has been recorded, unless within that time an action is commenced pursuant to s. 162.09(3) in a court of c…

An aggrieved party, including the local governing body, may appeal a final administrative order of an enforcement board to the circuit court. Such an appeal shall not be a hearing de novo but shall be limited to appellate review of the record created before the enforcement board.…

(1) All notices required by this part must be provided to the alleged violator by:(a) Certified mail, and at the option of the local government return receipt requested, to the address listed in the tax collector’s office for tax notices or to the address listed in the county pro…

Actions for money judgments under this chapter may be pursued only on fines levied after October 1, 2000.History.—s. 4, ch. 2000-125.

It is the legislative intent of ss. 162.01-162.12 to provide an additional or supplemental means of obtaining compliance with local codes. Except as provided in s. 162.06(1)(b), nothing contained in ss. 162.01-162.12 shall prohibit a local governing body from enforcing its codes …

(1) As used in this section, “code enforcement officer” means any designated employee or agent of a county or municipality whose duty it is to enforce codes and ordinances enacted by the county or municipality.(2) A county or a municipality may designate certain of its employees …

The governing body of a municipality may designate the enforcement methods and penalties to be imposed for the violation of ordinances adopted by the municipality. These enforcement methods may include, but are not limited to, the issuance of a citation, a summons, or a notice to…

(1) Notwithstanding s. 34.07, a code enforcement officer, designated pursuant to s. 162.21(1) and (2), may issue a notice to appear at any hearing conducted by a county court if the officer, based upon personal investigation, has reasonable cause to believe that the person has vi…

In addition to other provisions of law authorizing the enforcement of county and municipal codes and ordinances, a county or municipality may enforce any violation of a county or municipal code or ordinance by filing a civil action in the same manner as instituting a civil action…

(1) As used in this section, the term:(a) “Body camera” means a portable electronic recording device worn on a code inspector’s person which records audio and video data of the code inspector’s encounters and activities.(b) “Code inspector” has the same meaning as in s. 162.04(2)…