Bill > H0359

This bill modifies the procedures for water management districts in Florida to sell surplus lands, which are properties they no longer need for their intended purposes. It extends the timeframe for obtaining certified appraisals, which are professional valuations of the land, to 360 days before a sale contract is finalized. The bill also revises how these districts must publish notice of their intention to sell surplus lands, requiring the first notice to be at least 30 days but no more than 360 days before the sale. Importantly, it allows governing boards of water management districts to sell certain lands acquired with Florida Forever funds, a state program for land acquisition for conservation, without first offering them to the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, which typically oversees state lands, under specific circumstances. Additionally, for parcels valued at $25,000 or less that are no longer needed for conservation, the bill streamlines the sale process by requiring only one public notice, direct notification to adjacent property owners via certified mail, and posting on the district's website, with a provision to sell to adjacent owners or highest bidders after a specified waiting period.