Governing body as the community redevelopment agency.

(1)(a) As an alternative to the appointment of not fewer than five or more than seven members of the agency, the governing body may, at the time of the adoption of a resolution under s. 163.355, or at any time thereafter by adoption of a resolution, declare itself to be an agency, in which case all the rights, powers, duties, privileges, and immunities vested by this part in an agency will be vested in the governing body of the county or municipality, subject to all responsibilities and liabilities imposed or incurred.

(b) The members of the governing body shall be the members of the agency, but such members constitute the head of a legal entity, separate, distinct, and independent from the governing body of the county or municipality. If the governing body declares itself to be an agency which already exists, the new agency is subject to all of the responsibilities and liabilities imposed or incurred by the existing agency.

(c) A governing body which consists of five members may appoint two additional persons to act as members of the community redevelopment agency. The terms of office of the additional members shall be for 4 years, except that the first person appointed shall initially serve a term of 2 years. Persons appointed under this section are subject to all provisions of this part relating to appointed members of a community redevelopment agency.

(d) As provided in an interlocal agreement between the governing body that created the agency and one or more taxing authorities, one or more members of the board of commissioners of the agency may be representatives of a taxing authority, including members of that taxing authority’s governing body, whose membership on the board of commissioners of the agency would be considered an additional duty of office as a member of the taxing authority governing body.

(2) Nothing in this part prevents the governing body from conferring the rights, powers, privileges, duties, and immunities of a community redevelopment agency upon any entity in existence on July 1, 1977, which has been authorized by law to function as a downtown development board or authority or as any other body the purpose of which is to prevent and eliminate slums and blight through community redevelopment plans. Any entity in existence on July 1, 1977, which has been vested with the rights, powers, privileges, duties, and immunities of a community redevelopment agency is subject to all provisions and responsibilities imposed by this part, notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in any law or amendment thereto which established the entity. Nothing in this act shall be construed to impair or diminish any powers of any redevelopment agency or other entity as referred to herein in existence on the effective date of this act or to repeal, modify, or amend any law establishing such entity, except as specifically set forth herein.