Required Reporting of Information

East River Ranch Stewardship District

The East River Ranch Stewardship District is a local, special-purpose government entity authorized by Chapter 2023-335, Laws of Florida (“Act”), and Chapter 189, Florida Statutes being situated entirely within Manatee County, Florida and established on July 1, 2023 as supplemental and alternative method to manage, own, operate, construct, and finance capital infrastructure systems, facilities and services.

The East River Ranch Stewardship District covers approximately 1,381 acres of land, generally located south of SR-64, east of Bourneside Blvd., north of 61st Avenue, and west of CR-675 within Manatee County, Florida.

Board of Supervisors

The following is a list of the District Board of Supervisors with their assigned positions and terms. Please click on the link to the Manatee County, Supervisor of Elections website for further information.

Contact Information

Chapter

The East River Ranch Stewardship District is a local, special-purpose government entity authorized by Chapter 2023-335, Laws of Florida (“Act”), and Chapter 189, Florida Statutes being situated entirely within Manatee County, Florida and established on July 1, 2023 as a supplemental and alternative method to manage, own, operate, construct, and finance capital infrastructure systems, facilities and services.

The district shall have, and the board may exercise, the following general powers:

1. To sue and be sued in the name of the district; to adopt and use a seal and authorize the use of a facsimile thereof; to acquire, by purchase, gift, devise, or otherwise, and to dispose of, real and personal property, or any estate therein; and to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers.
2. To apply for coverage of its employees under the Florida Retirement System in the same manner as if such employees were state employees.
3. To contract for the services of consultants to perform planning, engineering, legal, or other appropriate services of a professional nature. Such contracts shall be subject to public bidding or competitive negotiation requirements as set forth in general law applicable to independent special districts.
4. To borrow money and accept gifts; to apply for and use grants or loans of money or other property from the United States, the state, a unit of local government, or any person for any district purposes and enter into agreements required in connection therewith; and to hold, use, and dispose of such moneys or property for any district purposes in accordance with the terms of the gift, grant, loan, or agreement relating thereto.
5. To adopt and enforce rules and orders pursuant to chapter 120, Florida Statutes, prescribing the powers, duties, and functions of the officers of the district; the conduct of the business of the district; the maintenance of the records of the district; and the form of certificates evidencing tax liens of the district and all other documents and records of the district. The board may also adopt and enforce administrative rules with respect to any of the projects of the district and define the area to be included therein. The board may also adopt resolutions which may be necessary for the conduct of district business.
6. To maintain an office at such place or places as the board of supervisors designates in Manatee County and within the district when facilities are available.
7. To hold, control, and acquire by donation, purchase, or condemnation, or dispose of, any public easements, dedications to public use, platted reservations for public purposes, or any reservations for those purposes authorized by this act and to make use of such easements, dedications, or reservations for the purposes authorized by this act.
8. To lease as lessor or lessee to or from any person, firm, corporation, association, or body, public or private, any projects of the type that the district is authorized to undertake and facilities or property of any nature for the use of the district to carry out the purposes authorized by this act.
9. To borrow money and issue bonds, certificates, warrants, notes, or other evidence of indebtedness as provided herein; to levy such taxes and assessments as may be authorized; and to charge, collect, and enforce fees and other user charges.
10. To raise, by user charges or fees authorized by resolution of the board, amounts of money which are necessary for the conduct of district activities and services and to enforce their receipt and collection in the manner prescribed by resolution not inconsistent with general law.
11. To exercise all powers of eminent domain now or hereafter conferred on counties in this state; provided, however, that such power of eminent domain may not be exercised outside the territorial limits of the district unless the district receives prior approval by vote of a resolution of the governing body of the county if the taking will occur in an unincorporated area in that county, or the governing body of the city if the taking will occur in an incorporated area. The district does not have the power to exercise eminent domain over municipal, county, state, or federal property. The powers hereinabove granted to the district shall be so construed to enable the district to fulfill the objects and purposes of the district as set forth in this act.
12. To cooperate with, or contract with, other governmental agencies as may be necessary, convenient, incidental, or proper in connection with any of the powers, duties, or purposes authorized by this act.
13. To assess and to impose upon lands in the district ad valorem taxes as provided by this act.
14. If and when authorized by general law, to determine, order, levy, impose, collect, and enforce maintenance taxes.
15. To determine, order, levy, impose, collect, and enforce assessments pursuant to this act and chapter 170, Florida Statutes, pursuant to authority granted in s. 197.3631, Florida Statutes, or pursuant to other provisions of general law now or hereinafter enacted which provide or authorize a supplemental means to order, levy, impose, or collect special assessments. Such special assessments, at the discretion of the district, may be collected and enforced pursuant to ss. 197.3632 and 197.3635, Florida Statutes, and chapters 170 and 173, Florida Statutes, as they may be amended from time to time, or as provided by this act, or by other means authorized by general law now or hereinafter enacted. The district may levy such special assessments for the purposes provided in this act and to pay special assessments imposed by Manatee County on lands within the district.
16. To exercise such special powers and other express powers as may be authorized and granted by this act in the charter of the district, including powers as provided in any interlocal agreement entered into pursuant to chapter 163, Florida Statutes, or which shall be required or permitted to be undertaken by the district pursuant to any development order, including any detailed specific area plan development order, or any interlocal service agreement with Manatee County for fair-share capital construction funding for any certain capital facilities or systems required of a developer pursuant to any applicable development order or agreement.
17. To exercise all of the powers necessary, convenient, incidental, or proper in connection with any other powers or duties or the special and limited purpose of the district authorized by this act. This subsection shall be construed liberally in order to effectively carry out the special and limited purpose of this act.

Special Powers

The district shall have, and the board may exercise, the following special powers to implement its lawful and special purpose and to provide, pursuant to that purpose, systems, facilities, services, improvements, projects, works, and infrastructure, each of which constitutes a lawful public purpose when exercised pursuant to this charter, subject to, and not inconsistent with, general law regarding utility providers territorial and service agreements, the regulatory jurisdiction and permitting authority of all other applicable governmental bodies, agencies, and any special districts having authority with respect to any area included therein, and to plan, establish, acquire, construct or reconstruct, enlarge or extend, equip, operate, finance, fund, and maintain improvements, systems, facilities, services, works, projects, and infrastructure. Any or all of the following special powers are granted by this act in order to implement the special and limited purpose of the district but do not constitute obligations to undertake such improvements, systems, facilities, services, works, projects, or infrastructure:

1. To provide water management and control for the lands within the district, including irrigation systems and facilities, and to connect some or any of such facilities with roads and bridges. In the event that the board assumes the responsibility for providing water management and control for the district which is to be financed by benefit special assessments, the board shall adopt plans and assessments pursuant to general law or may proceed to adopt water management and control plans, assess for benefits, and apportion and levy special assessments as follows:
1. The board shall cause to be made by the district’s engineer, or such other engineer or engineers as the board may employ for that purpose, complete and comprehensive water management and control plans for the lands located within the district that will be improved in any part or in whole by any system of facilities that may be outlined and adopted, and the engineer shall make a report in writing to the board with maps and profiles of said surveys and an estimate of the cost of carrying out and completing the plans.
2. Upon the completion of such plans, the board shall hold a hearing thereon to hear objections thereto, shall give notice of the time and place fixed for such hearing by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the general area of the district once a week for 2 consecutive weeks, and shall permit the inspection of the plan at the office of the district by all persons interested. All objections to the plan shall be filed at or before the time fixed in the notice for the hearing and shall be in writing.
3. After the hearing, the board shall consider the proposed plan and any objections thereto and may modify, reject, or adopt the plan or continue the hearing until a day certain for further consideration of the proposed plan or modifications thereof.
4. When the board approves a plan, a resolution shall be adopted and a certified copy thereof shall be filed in the office of the secretary and incorporated by him or her into the records of the district.

The water management and control plan may be altered in detail from time to time until the engineer’s report pursuant to s. 298.301, Florida Statutes, is filed, but not in such manner as to materially affect the territorial and service agreements, the regulatory jurisdiction and permitting authority of all other applicable governmental bodies, agencies, and any special districts having authority with respect to any area included therein, and to plan, establish, acquire, construct or reconstruct, enlarge or extend, equip, operate, finance, fund, and maintain improvements, systems, facilities, services, works, projects, and infrastructure. Any or all of the following special powers are granted by this act in order to implement the special and limited purpose of the district but do not constitute obligations to undertake such improvements, systems, facilities, services, works, projects, or infrastructure:

1. To provide water management and control for the lands within the district, including irrigation systems and facilities, and to connect some or any of such facilities with roads and bridges. In the event that the board assumes the responsibility for providing water management and control for the district which is to be financed by benefit special assessments, the board shall adopt plans and assessments pursuant to general law or may proceed to adopt water management and control plans, assess for benefits, and apportion and levy special assessments as follows: The board shall cause to be made by the district's engineer, or such other engineer or engineers as the board may employ for that purpose, complete and comprehensive water management and control plans for the lands located within the district that will be improved in any part or in whole by any system of facilities that may be outlined and adopted, and the engineer shall make a report in writing to the board with maps and profiles of said surveys and an estimate of the cost of carrying out and completing the plans. Upon the completion of such plans, the board shall hold a hearing thereon to hear objections thereto, shall give notice of the time and place fixed for such hearing by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the general area of the district once a week for 2 consecutive weeks, and shall permit the inspection of the plan at the office of the district by all persons interested. All objections to the plan shall be filed at or before the time fixed in the notice for the hearing and shall be in writing. After the hearing, the board shall consider the proposed plan and any objections thereto and may modify, reject, or adopt the plan or continue the hearing until a day certain for further consideration of the proposed plan or modifications thereof. When the board approves a plan, a resolution shall be adopted and a certified copy thereof shall be filed in the office of the secretary and incorporated by him or her into the records of the district. The water management and control plan may be altered in detail from time to time until the engineer's report pursuant to s. 298. 3 0 1, Florida Statutes, is filed, but not in such manner as to materially affect the conditions of its adoption. After the engineer’s report has been filed, the plan may not be altered, except as provided by this act. Within 20 days after the final adoption of the plan by the board, the board shall proceed pursuant to s. 298.301, Florida Statutes.
2. To provide water supply, sewer, wastewater, and reclaimed water management, reclamation, and reuse, or any combination thereof, and any irrigation systems, facilities, and services and to construct and operate water systems, sewer systems, irrigation systems, and reclaimed water systems such as connecting intercepting or outlet sewers and sewer mains and pipes and water mains, conduits, or pipelines in, along, and under any street, alley, highway, or other public place or way, and to dispose of any water, effluent, residue, or other byproduct of such water system, sewer system, irrigation system or reclaimed water system and to enter into interlocal agreements and other agreements with public or private entities for the same.
3. To provide any necessary bridges, culverts, wildlife corridors, or road crossings across any drain, ditch, canal, floodway, holding basin, excavation, public highway, tract, grade, fill, or cut and roadways over levees and embankments, and to construct any and all of such works and improvements across, through, or over any public right-of way, highway, grade, fill, or cut.
4. To provide district or other roads equal to or exceeding the specifications of the county in which such district or other roads are located, and to provide street lighting. This special power includes, but is not limited to, roads, parkways, intersections, bridges, landscaping, hardscaping, irrigation, bicycle lanes, sidewalks, jogging paths, multiuse pathways and trails, street lighting, traffic signals, regulatory or informational signage, road striping, underground conduit, underground cable or fiber or wire installed pursuant to an agreement with or tariff of a retail provider of services, and all other customary elements of a functioning modern road system in general or as tied to the conditions of development approval for the area within and without the district, and parking facilities that are freestanding or that may be related to any innovative strategic intermodal system of transportation pursuant to applicable federal, state, and local laws and ordinances.
5. To provide buses, trolleys, rail access, mass transit facilities, transit shelters, ridesharing facilities and services, parking improvements, and related signage.
6. To provide investigation and remediation costs associated with the cleanup of actual or perceived environmental contamination within the district under the supervision or direction of a competent governmental authority unless the covered costs benefit any person who is a landowner within the district and who caused or contributed to the contamination.
7. To provide observation, mitigation, wetland creation, and wildlife habitat areas, including the maintenance of any plant or animal species, and any related interest in real or personal property.
8. Using its general and special powers as set forth in this act, to provide any other project within or without the boundaries of the district when the project is the subject of an agreement between the district and the Board of County Commissioners of Manatee County or with any other applicable public or private entity, and is not inconsistent with the effective local comprehensive plans.
9. To provide parks and facilities for indoor and outdoor recreational, cultural, and educational uses.
10. To provide fire prevention and control, including fire stations, water mains and plugs, fire trucks, and other vehicles and equipment.
11. To provide school buildings and related structures, which may be leased, sold, or donated to the school district, for use in the educational system when authorized by the district school board.
12. To provide security, including electronic intrusion-detection systems and patrol cars, when authorized by proper governmental agencies, and to contract with the appropriate local general-purpose government agencies for an increased level of such services within the district boundaries. However, this paragraph does not prohibit the district from contracting with a towing operator to remove a vehicle or vessel from a district-owned facility or property if the district follows the authorization and notice and procedural requirements in s. 715.07, Florida Statutes, for an owner or lessee of private property. The district’s selection of a towing operator is not subject to public bidding if the towing operator is included in an approved list of town operators maintained by the local government that has jurisdiction over the district’s facility or property.
13. To provide control and elimination of mosquitoes and other arthropods of public health importance.
14. To enter into impact fee, mobility fee, or other similar credit agreements with Manatee County or other governmental bodies or a landowner developer and to sell or assign such credits on such terms as the district deems appropriate.
15. To provide buildings and structures for district offices, maintenance facilities, meeting facilities, town centers, or any other projects authorized or granted by this act.
16. To establish and create, at noticed meetings, such departments of the board of supervisors of the district, as well as committees, task forces, boards, or commissions, or other agencies under the supervision and control of the district, as from time to time the members of the board may deem necessary or desirable in the performance of the acts or other things necessary to exercise the board’s general or special powers to implement an innovative project to carry out the special and limited purpose of the district as provided in this act and to delegate the exercise of its powers to such departments, boards, task forces, committees, or other agencies, and such administrative duties and other powers as the board may deem necessary or desirable, but only if there is a set of expressed limitations for accountability, notice, and periodic written reporting to the board that shall retain the powers of the board.
17. To provide electrical, sustainable, or green infrastructure improvements, facilities, and services, including, but not limited to, recycling of natural resources, reduction of energy demands, development and generation of alternative or renewable energy sources and technologies, mitigation of urban heat islands, sequestration, capping or trading of carbon emissions or carbon emissions credits, LEED or Florida Green Building Coalition certification, and development of facilities and improvements for low-impact development; to enter into joint ventures, public-private partnerships, and other agreements; and to grant such easements as may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing. Nothing herein shall authorize the district to provide electric service to retail customers or otherwise act to impair electric utility franchise agreements.
18. To provide for any facilities or improvements that may otherwise be provided for by any county or municipality, including, but not limited to, libraries, annexes, substations, and other buildings to house public officials, staff, and employees.
19. To provide waste collection and disposal.
20. To provide for the construction and operation of communications systems and related infrastructure for the carriage and distribution of communications services, to enter into joint ventures, public-private partnerships, and other agreements, and to grant such easements as may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing. For purposes of this paragraph, “communications systems” means all facilities, buildings, equipment, items, and methods necessary or desirable in order to provide communications services, including, without limitation, wires, cables, conduits, wireless cell sites, computers, modems, satellite antennae sites, transmission facilities, network facilities, and appurtenant devices necessary and appropriate to support the provision of communications services. “Communications services” includes, without limitation, Internet, voice telephone, or similar services provided by voice over Internet protocol, cable television, data transmission services, electronic security monitoring services, and multichannel video programming distribution services. Nothing herein shall authorize the district to provide communications services to retail customers or otherwise act to impair existing service provider franchise agreements. However, the district may contract with such providers for resale purposes, provided the district complies with s. 350.81, Florida Statutes, when contracting for resale purposes.
21. To provide health care facilities and to enter into public-private partnerships and agreements as may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.
22. To coordinate, work with, and, as the board deems appropriate, enter into interlocal agreements with any public or private entity for the provision of an institution or institutions of higher education.
23. To coordinate, work with, and, as the board deems appropriate, enter into public-private partnerships and agreements as may be necessary or useful to effectuate the purposes of this act.

The special powers provided in this act may not be deemed exclusive or restrictive but shall be deemed to incorporate all powers, express or implied, necessary or incident to carrying out such special powers, including the general powers provided by this act to the district to implement its purposes. This subsection shall be construed liberally in order to effectively carry out the special and limited purpose of the district under this act.

Chapter 2023-335, Laws of Florida

Financial Information