Politics
Bill Conerly proposal creating University Town Center Improvement District clears first House Committee
A proposal by Rep. Bill Conerly to create a new special taxing district to fund infrastructure, stormwater management and enhanced public services in the University Town Center area in Sarasota and Manatee counties has cleared its first House Committee stop.
HB 4091 would establish the University Town Center Improvement District, an independent special district designed to oversee roads, drainage systems, parking facilities, recreational amenities and other infrastructure in one of the region’s predominant commercial corridors.
Conerly, a Lakewood Ranch Republican, told House Ways & Means Committee members that the District is intended to provide a dedicated funding and governance structure to support community infrastructure needs in the rapidly growing area.
“This bill creates the University Town Center Improvement District, which is an independent special district in Sarasota and Manatee counties,” Conerly said Tuesday. “The intent of the district is to install, operate and maintain stormwater and flood control facilities, as well as other community infrastructure.”
Under the proposal, the District would encompass roughly 1,515 acres of what is primarily commercial property near Interstate 5 and University Parkway, straddling the Sarasota-Manatee county line near Lakewood Ranch. The area boasts more than 3 million square feet of existing commercial development, long-term expansion plans and fuels about $3.5 billion dollars in estimated economic activity.
HB 4091 would authorize the District board to construct, operate and maintain infrastructure and services within its boundaries. That includes stormwater and flood control systems, roads and sidewalks, irrigation and landscaping, street lighting, parking facilities, signage and enhanced security features. The District would also be able to plan, finance and operate recreational, cultural and entertainment facilities, and host public events such as large-scale sports competitions and seasonal attractions.
To fund those activities, the bill would authorize the District to levy both ad valorem and non-ad valorem assessments on property owners within its boundaries. Any ad valorem tax would require voter approval and would be capped at three mills, while non-ad valorem assessments could be imposed for construction, operations and maintenance costs under existing state law. Unpaid taxes and assessments would be subject to the same penalties and enforcement mechanisms used for county taxes.
The District would be governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors elected by landowners on a one-acre, one-vote basis. Supervisors would serve staggered three-year terms and would be required to comply with Florida’s public records, ethics and financial disclosure laws.
HB 4091 also authorizes the District to issue revenue bonds, assessment bonds and general obligation bonds to finance infrastructure projects — with voter approval still required for bonds backed by ad valorem taxes. The District would also be eligible for impact fee credits when District-funded improvements offset county infrastructure needs.
The bill now heads to its second of three House Committee stops with the State Affairs Committee. A companion bill has not yet been filed in the Senate. If approved by the Legislature, the District would not become operational unless a majority of affected landowners approve its creation at a meeting held within 20 days after the bill becomes law.
