1. (1) Eligible Projects: Financial assistance and support through this program shall be used to plan or carry out public navigation and anchorage management, public recreation, environmental education, boating safety, acquisition and development of spoil sites and publicly owned commercial/industrial waterway access directly related to the waterways, acquisition and development of public boat ramps, launching facilities and boat docking and mooring facilities, inlet management, maritime management planning, environmental mitigation and beach renourishment.

   1. (a) Program funds may be used for projects such as acquisition, planning, development, construction, reconstruction, extension, or improvement, of the following types of projects for public use on land and water. These project types will be arranged into a priority list each year by vote of the Board. The priority list will be distributed to applicants with the project application.

      1. Public navigation channel dredging,

      2. Public navigation aids and markers,

      3. Inlet management projects that are a benefit to public navigation in the District,

      4. Public shoreline stabilization directly benefiting the District’s waterway channels,

      5. Acquisition and development of publicly owned spoil disposal site and public commercial/industrial waterway access,

      6. Waterway signs and buoys for safety, regulation or information,

      7. Acquisition, dredging, shoreline stabilization and development of public boat ramps and launching facilities,

      8. Acquisition, dredging, shoreline stabilization and development of public boat docking and mooring facilities,

      9. Derelict Vessel Removal,

      10. Waterways related environmental education programs and facilities,

      11. Public fishing and viewing piers,

      12. Public waterfront parks and boardwalks and associated improvements,

      13. Maritime Management Planning,

      14. Waterways boating safety programs and equipment,

      15. Beach renourishment on beaches adversely impacted by navigation inlets, navigation structures, navigation dredging, or a navigation project; and,

      16. Environmental restoration, enhancement or mitigation projects; and,

      17. Other waterway related projects. Waterway projects that do not meet specific criteria in subsection 66B-2.005(5) or (6) or subparagraphs 66B-2.008(1)(a)1.-16., F.A.C., but are located on eligible waterways shall be considered for funding under the priority listing of “other waterway related project” and eligible for 25% funding except that a county with a population under 250,000 according to the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research shall be eligible for 50% funding for navigation dredging projects. In addition, navigation dredging projects in man-made canals shall require the following:

      a. the local government sponsor shall have an approved placement facility for storage, processing and/or disposal of dredged material;

      b. the local government sponsor shall establish a long term dredge material management plan for the public man-made canals in its jurisdiction; and

      c. the local government sponsor shall provide at least fifty percent (50%) of the required matching funds through general taxes or special assessment of the benefitted properties.

   2. (b) Ineligible Projects or Project Elements. Project costs ineligible for program funding or matching funds will include: contingencies, miscellaneous, reoccurring personnel related costs, irrigation equipment, ball-courts, park and playground equipment, and any extraneous recreational amenities not directly related to the waterway such as the following:

      1. Landscaping that does not provide shoreline stabilization or aquatic habitat,

      2. Restrooms for non-waterway users,

      3. Roadways providing access to non-waterway users,

      4. Parking areas for non-waterway users,

      5. Utilities for non-waterway related facilities,

      6. Lighting for non-waterway related facilities,

      7. Project maintenance and maintenance equipment,

      8. Picnic shelters and furniture for non-waterway related facilities,

      9. Vehicles to transport vessels; and,

      10. Operational items such as fuel, oil, etc.

      11. Office space that is not incidental and necessary to the operation of the main eligible public building; and,

      12. Conceptual project planning, including: public surveys, opinion polls, public meetings, organizational conferences; and,

      13. Inlet maintenance.

   3. (c) Project Elements with Eligibility Limits: Subject to approval by the Board of an itemized expense list:

      1. The following project costs will be eligible for program funding or as matching funding if they are performed by an independent contractor:

      a. Project management, administration and inspection,

      b. Design, permitting, planning, engineering or surveying costs for completed construction project,

      c. Restoration of sites disturbed during the construction of an approved project,

      d. Equipment costs.

      Before reimbursement is made by the District on any of the costs listed in subparagraph 1., above, a construction contract for the project, approved and executed by the project sponsor and project contractor must be submitted to the District.

      2. Marine fire-fighting, Marine law enforcement and other vessels are eligible for a maximum of $125,000 in initial District funding. All future replacement and maintenance costs of the vessel and related equipment will be the responsibility of the applicant.

      3. Waterway related environmental education facility funding will be limited to those project elements directly related to the District’s waterways.

   4. (d) Phasing of Projects: Applications for eligible waterway projects may be submitted as a phased project where Phase I will include the design, engineering and permitting elements and Phase II will include the construction of the project. A description and cost estimate of the Phase II work shall be submitted along with the Phase I application for Board review.

2. (2) Property Control: The site of a proposed land-based development project, with the exception of those projects requesting Small-Scale Spoil Island Restoration and Enhancement funding, shall be dedicated for the public use for which the project was intended for a minimum period of 35 years after project completion. Such dedication shall be in the form of a deed, lease, management agreement or other legally binding document and shall be recorded in the public property records of the county in which the property is located. Any change in such dedication shall require the prior approval of the District. This property control requirement also applies to a project site owned by another governmental entity. The governmental entity that owns the project site may be joined as a co-applicant to meet this property control requirement. Existing land based development projects that are being repaired, replaced or modified must demonstrate that the project site has been dedicated for public use with at least 10 years remaining on the dedication document. Property shall also be deemed dedicated for public use if:

   1. (a) The property has been designated for the use for which the project is intended (even though there may have been no formal dedication) in a plat or map recorded prior to 1940, or
   2. (b) The project sponsor demonstrates that it has had exclusive control over the property for the public use for which the project is intended for a period of at least 30 years prior to submission of the application, or
   3. (c) There is no ongoing litigation challenging the designated use of the property as shown on the plat or map, nor has there been any judicial determination contrary to the use by the public for the use shown on the plat or map.
3. (3) Permits: The project sponsor is responsible for obtaining and abiding by any and all federal, state and local permits, laws, proprietary authorizations and regulations in the development and operation of the project. Applicants for construction projects that include elements that require state or federal environmental permits or proprietary authorizations will demonstrate that all required environmental permitting and authorizations will be completed by the third Monday in September. This demonstration will be by submission of the required environmental permit(s) and authorizations, or by submission of a letter from the agency(s) stating that a permit or authorization is not required. Failure to timely submit the required environmental permits and authorizations or letters stating such permits or authorizations are not required shall result in the application not being considered for funding.
4. (4) Public Marina Qualifications: All public marina projects funded through this program shall include sewage pumpout facilities for vessels, unless the applicant can demonstrate that inclusion of such a facility is physically, operationally or economically impracticable. All public marina projects funded through this program shall have at least ten percent (10%) of their slips or mooring areas available for transient vessels. Public marina dockage rates shall be within market comparison of the dockage rates of other area marinas. The public marina will be required to establish and maintain an accounting of the funds for the facility and shall plan for and retain at all times sufficient funds for the on-going maintenance of the facility during its project life.

5. (5) The District may assist eligible local governments with efforts to prepare and implement a comprehensive maritime management plan. The plan shall be utilized by the eligible government to promote and maximize the public benefit and enjoyment of eligible waterways, while identifying and prioritizing the waterway access needs of the community. The plan should not duplicate any existing or ongoing efforts for the same waterway or water shed, nor shall the District participate in any effort that does not address the basic maritime needs of the community.

   1. (a) Existing plans may be updated at reasonable intervals or amended to include waterway areas previously not included in the original effort. Public, government, environmental, industry and other pertinent interest groups shall be solicited and included for input in the planning process.

   2. (b) The plan shall be utilized as a tool to provide a minimum 5-year planning analysis and forecast for the maritime needs of the community, and shall include, at minimum, the following:

      1. Public boat ramp and ramp parking inventory and analysis.

      2. Public mooring and docking facility analysis, including day docks and transient slips.

      3. Commercial and working waterfront identification and needs analysis.

      4. The identification, location, condition and analysis of existing and potential navigation channels.

      5. An inventory and assessment of accessible public shorelines.

      6. Public Waterway transportation needs.

      7. Environmental conditions that affect boat facility siting, a current resource inventory survey, and restoration opportunities.

      8. Economic conditions affecting the boating community and boating facilities.

      9. Acknowledgment and coordination with existing data and information, including an emphasis on the Intracoastal Waterway.

   3. (c) Projects requested for assistance program funding shall be consistent with the applicant’s maritime management plan. The applicant should utilize the plan to assist in prioritizing waterway improvement projects.
6. (6) All eligible environmental restoration, enhancement or mitigation projects as well as the environmental restoration, enhancement or mitigation components of other types of projects shall be required to pursue and assign any available mitigation credits to the District for that share of the project funded through the District’s Assistance Program. All eligible environmental restoration, enhancement or mitigation projects shall provide public access where possible.
7. (7) Final Decisions: The Board will make all final decisions on the eligibility of a Project or specific project costs.

Rulemaking Authority 374.976(2) FS. Law Implemented 374.976(1)-(3) FS. History–New 12-17-90, Amended 9-2-92, 6-24-93, 2-3-94, 4-12-95, 9-5-96, 2-6-97, Formerly 16T-2.008, Amended 5-17-98, 3-31-99, 5-25-00, 3-21-01, 7-30-02, 3-20-03, 3-3-04, 4-15-07, 3-25-08, 4-1-09, 2-22-10, 3-7-11, 3-7-12, 1-27-14, 2-17-15, 2-21-16, 3-25-21, 3-9-23, 3-11-24, 1-26-26.