1998 Florida Code
TITLE XVIII PUBLIC LANDS AND PROPERTY
Chapter 253 State Lands  
253.787   Florida Greenways Coordinating Council; composition; duties.

253.787  Florida Greenways Coordinating Council; composition; duties.--

(1)  There is created within the Department of Environmental Protection the Florida Greenways Coordinating Council to promote greenways initiatives throughout the state with technical support, leadership, education, advocacy, and other service-oriented efforts. The council will serve as a facilitator for the formation of partnerships involving public agencies, private businesses, environmental organizations, community-based organizations, and citizen volunteers.

(2)  The council is assigned for administrative purposes to the Department of Environmental Protection and is authorized to employ its own separate staff and consultants funded through the department's budget.

(3)  The council is authorized to contract for and to accept gifts, grants, loans, or other aid from the United States Government or any person or corporation.

(4)  The council is to be composed of 26 members, consisting of:

(a)  Four members appointed by the Governor, four members appointed by the President of the Senate, and four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Each appointing authority must consider ethnic and gender balance and appoint one member who is representative of:

1.  Business interests;

2.  The interests of landowners;

3.  Conservation interests; and

4.  Recreation interests.

The Governor shall designate one of his or her appointees as chair of the council.

(b)  Six members appointed by the Governor with the concurrence of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom represents the government of an urban county, one of whom represents the government of a rural county, two of whom represent a municipal government, one of whom represents the state's water management districts, and one of whom represents a federal land management entity active in the state.

(c)  Eight ex officio members consisting of the head or designee of the following state agencies: the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Community Affairs, the Division of Forestry of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, the 1Department of Commerce, the Department of Education, and the Division of Historical Resources of the Department of State.

(5)  Council members must be appointed by October 1, 1995, to serve 4-year terms. Vacancies of appointed members must be filled by the original appointing authority. The organizational meeting of the council must be held on or before December 1, 1995. Members are entitled to per diem and travel expenses under s. 112.061.

(6)  The council shall:

(a)  Hold at least four meetings each year;

(b)  Hold at least two public hearings each year to announce and take public testimony on its activities;

(c)  Assist the Department of Environmental Protection in the preparation of a 5-year Florida Greenways System Implementation Plan;

(d)  Develop benchmarks to measure progress in implementing the statewide system of greenways;

(e)  Assist state and regional agencies involved in greenways to develop and execute memoranda of understanding that define the roles and responsibilities that each entity will assume in working with the council to develop and implement the statewide system of greenways; and

(f)  Evaluate the need for establishing a nongovernmental organization to provide advocacy, education, and technical assistance for the statewide greenways system.

(g)  Submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by July 1, 1999, a report making specific recommendations for action necessary to manage the Florida greenways system.

(h)  Develop an outreach to businesses and industries including but not limited to forestry, mining, and agriculture to create an industry/state partnership in the development of the Florida greenways system.

(i)  Seek, identify, and develop incentives to encourage private participation.

(7)  The Department of Environmental Protection is designated as lead state agency to create a statewide system of greenways on public lands and to assist the council in coordinating with other government agencies and private entities involved in the statewide greenways system.

History.--s. 1, ch. 95-260; s. 11, ch. 97-96.

1Note.--Section 20.17, which created the Department of Commerce, was repealed effective December 31, 1996, by s. 3, ch. 96-320.