Florida HB 673: Release of Conservation Easements

Bill Text

CS/HB 673 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb673-01-c1
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the release of conservation 2
easements; amending s. 704.06, F.S.; requiring certain 3
water management districts, upon application by the 4
fee simple owner of a parcel subject to a conservation 5
easement, to release the conservation easement if 6
specified conditions are met; providing for the 7
valuation of the property upon such release; 8
specifying that land released from the conservation 9
easement may be used for development consistent with 10
certain zoning; requiring property owners to assume 11
responsibility for any requirements, including 12
stormwater requirements, in certain circumstances; 13
requiring property owners to comply with all local 14
ordinances, including those related to stormwater 15
management, and seek approval for modification of all 16
permits, including stormwater permits, as applicable; 17
providing applicability; defining the term 18
"proprietary conservation easement"; providing an 19
effective date. 20
21
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 22
23
Section 1. Subsection (14) is added to section 704.06, 24
Florida Statutes, to read: 25

CS/HB 673 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb673-01-c1
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

704.06 Conservation easements; creation; acquisition; 26
enforcement.— 27
(14)(a) Upon application by the fee simple owner of a 28
parcel of land subject to a conservation easement to a water 29
management district, a water management district must release 30
the conservation easement if the following conditions are met: 31
1. The land subject to the easement is less than 15 acres 32
and is bordered on three or more sides by impervious surfaces; 33
2. Any undeveloped adjacent parcels of land are less than 34
15 acres and similarly bordered on three or more sides by 35
impervious surfaces; 36
3. The land contains no historical, architectural, 37
archeological, or cultural significance; and 38
4. The applicant has secured the one-time sufficient 39
mitigation credits and has compensated the water management 40
district by using the uniform mitigation assessment method from 41
a mitigation bank located in this state to offset the loss of 42
any wetlands located on the land subject to the conservation 43
easement. 44
(b) Upon the water management district's release of the 45
conservation easement, the ad valorem taxes on the property must 46
be based on the just value of the property, and the property may 47
be used for development that is consistent with the zoning 48
designation of the adjacent lands. 49
(c) The property owner shall assume responsibility for any 50

CS/HB 673 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb673-01-c1
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

requirements, including stormwater requirements, if the property 51
is developed. 52
(d) The property owner shall comply with all local 53
ordinances, including those relating to stormwater management, 54
for any development proposed for the subject parcel and, if 55
applicable, seek district approval for the modification of any 56
permits, including stormwater permits, upon which the 57
conservation easement was a condition. 58
(e) This subsection does not apply to conservation 59
easements located within residential developments or to 60
proprietary conservation easements held by a district. For 61
purposes of this paragraph, "proprietary conservation easement" 62
means a conservation easement that was not acquired as a 63
condition for a permit. 64
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 65