Rural Land Stewardship Program

The Rural Lands Stewardship Program was established as a pilot project by Section 64 of Senate Bill 1922 and signed into law by Governor Jeb Bush on June 19, 2001. Many of the concepts ultimately included in the legislation were discussed by the Governor's Growth Management Study Commission and particularly the Rural Policy Sub-Committee, during the work of that Commission. In Executive Order 2000-196, Governor Bush asked the Governor's Growth Management Study Commission to consider:

"Development of a state rural policy that includes mechanisms for rural economic development and the continued viability of agricultural economics while protecting the unique characteristics of rural areas. Such mechanisms may include a program of innovative planning and development incentives, economic incentives, and other measures, such as incentives to reward best management practices, providing cost-efficient delivery of public services or purchasing development rights through a rural lands stewardship program."

The Rural Policy Subcommittee recommended to the Growth Management Study Commission that:

"The guiding principles for future development of rural areas should be restoration and maintenance of the economic value of rural land, identification and maintenance of ecosystems, habitats and resources that are areas of compelling state interests, promotion of rural economic development, maintenance of the viability of Florida's agricultural economy, control of urban sprawl, and protection of the character of rural areas of Florida."

The Rural Lands Stewardship legislation calls for Rural Land Stewardship Areas (RLSA) to be located outside of the urban fringe of municipalities and established urban growth areas. RLSAs must be adopted through a Comprehensive Plan amendment and are subject to review by the Florida Department of Community Affairs.

The RLSA Plan Amendment must provide:

• goals, objectives and policies for innovative planning and development strategies within the RLSA;
• a process for adoption of zoning and land development regulations for the RLSA to implement innovative planning and development strategies;
• a process for visioning and for the control of sprawl.

In 2004, through a legislative amendment, the Rural Land Stewardship Program was changed from a pilot project to one that could be used throughout Florida. RLSAs with a minimum of 10,000 acres could now be designated through the use of a future land use map overlay. The 2004 amendment also allows for the identification of multi-county rural land stewardship areas to encourage counties to work collaboratively on regional growth management and planning challenges.