Florida HB 4079: Marion County

Bill Text

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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

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An act relating to Marion County; creating the Uplands 2
Stewardship District; providing a short title; 3
providing legislative findings and intent; providing 4
definitions; stating legislative policy regarding 5
creation of the district; establishing compliance with 6
minimum requirements for creation of an independent 7
special district; providing for creation and 8
establishment of the district; establishing the legal 9
boundaries of the district; providing for the 10
jurisdiction and charter of the district; providing 11
for a board of supervisors; providing for a method for 12
transition of the board from landowner control to 13
control by the electors of the district; providing for 14
membership, terms, election, removal, duties, and 15
meetings of board members; providing for a district 16
manager and district personnel; providing for a 17
district treasurer, selection of a public depository, 18
and district budgets and financial reports; providing 19
for disclosure of certain public information and for 20
web-based public access; providing for the general and 21
special powers of the district; providing for bonds; 22
providing for borrowing; providing for trust 23
agreements; providing for future ad valorem taxation; 24
providing for special assessments; providing for 25

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CS/HB 4079 2026 Legislature

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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

issuance of certificates of indebtedness; providing 26
for tax liens; providing for tax payments, redemption 27
of tax liens, and sharing in proceeds of tax sales; 28
providing for foreclosure of liens; providing for 29
mandatory use of certain facilities; providing for 30
competitive procurement; providing for fees, rentals, 31
and charges and minimum revenue requirements; 32
providing for recovery of delinquent charges; 33
providing for discontinuance of service; providing for 34
enforcement and penalties; providing for suits against 35
the district; providing for exemptions of district 36
property from levies and sales; providing for 37
termination, contraction, expansion, or merger of the 38
district; providing for inclusion of territory; 39
providing for required notices to purchasers of 40
residential units within the district; specifying the 41
district properties that are public; providing 42
severability; providing for a referendum; providing an 43
effective date. 44
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 46
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Section 1. This act may be cited as the "Uplands 48
Stewardship District Act." 49
Section 2. Legislative findings and intent; definitions; 50

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policy.— 51
(1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE DISTRICT.— 52
(a) The extensive lands located wholly within Marion 53
County and covered by this act contain many opportunities for 54
thoughtful, comprehensive, responsible, and consistent 55
development over a long period. 56
(b) There is a need to use a single special and limited 57
purpose independent special district unit of local government 58
for the Uplands Stewardship District lands located within Marion 59
County and covered by this act to provide for a more 60
comprehensive community development approach, which will 61
facilitate an integral relationship between regional 62
transportation, land use and urban design to provide for a 63
diverse mix of housing and regional employment and economic 64
development opportunities, rather than fragmented development 65
with underutilized infrastructure generally associated with 66
urban sprawl. 67
(c) There is a considerably long period of time during 68
which there is a significant burden on the initial landowners of 69
the district lands to provide various systems, facilities, and 70
services, such that there is a need for flexible management, 71
sequencing, timing, and financing of the various systems, 72
facilities, and services to be provided to these lands, taking 73
into consideration absorption rates, commercial viability, and 74
related factors. 75

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CS/HB 4079 2026 Legislature

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(d) While chapter 190, Florida Statutes, provides an 76
opportunity for previous community development services and 77
facilities to be provided by the continued use of community 78
development districts in a manner that furthers the public 79
interest, given the size of the Uplands Stewardship District 80
lands and the duration