| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to transportation projects; creating s. |
| 3 | 335.199, F.S.; directing the Department of Transportation |
| 4 | to notify local governmental entities of certain proposed |
| 5 | projects before the design is finalized; providing a time |
| 6 | frame for notification; requiring the local governmental |
| 7 | entity to receive and review public input regarding the |
| 8 | effects of the project on local business and to provide |
| 9 | comments to the department; directing the department to |
| 10 | consider the comments in the final design of the project; |
| 11 | providing an effective date. |
| 12 |
|
| 13 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 14 |
|
| 15 | Section 1. Section 335.199, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 16 | to read: |
| 17 | 335.199 Transportation projects modifying access to |
| 18 | adjacent property.- |
| 19 | (1) Whenever the Department of Transportation proposes any |
| 20 | project on the State Highway System which will divide a state |
| 21 | highway, erect median barriers modifying currently available |
| 22 | vehicle turning movements, or have the effect of closing or |
| 23 | modifying an existing access to an abutting property owner, the |
| 24 | department shall notify all affected municipalities and counties |
| 25 | at least 180 days before the design of the project is finalized. |
| 26 | (2) If the project is within the boundaries of a |
| 27 | municipality, the notification shall be issued in writing to the |
| 28 | chief elected official of the municipality. If the project is in |
| 29 | the unincorporated area of a county, the notification shall be |
| 30 | issued in writing to the chief elected official of the county. |
| 31 | (3) The affected municipality or county must receive and |
| 32 | review public input on how the dividing of the state highway, |
| 33 | the erecting of median barriers, or the closing or modifying of |
| 34 | access will affect access to businesses and the potential |
| 35 | economic impact of the project on the local business community. |
| 36 | The affected municipality or county shall have 60 days after the |
| 37 | date the notice is provided under this section to provide |
| 38 | comments to the department regarding how the project will affect |
| 39 | access to businesses and the potential economic impact of the |
| 40 | project on the local business community. |
| 41 | (4) The department must review all comments submitted by a |
| 42 | local governmental entity under this section and must take the |
| 43 | comments into consideration in the final design of the highway |
| 44 | project. |
| 45 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010. |