State designation of enterprise zones.

(1) The maximum number of enterprise zones authorized under this section is the number of enterprise zones having an effective date on or before January 1, 2005, subject to any increase due to any new enterprise zones authorized by the Legislature during the 2005 Regular Session of the Legislature.

(2) If, pursuant to subsection (4), the department does not redesignate an enterprise zone, a governing body of a county or municipality or the governing bodies of a county and one or more municipalities jointly, pursuant to s. 290.0055, may apply for designation of an enterprise zone to take the place of the enterprise zone not redesignated and request designation of an enterprise zone. The department shall determine which areas nominated by such governing bodies meet the criteria outlined in s. 290.0055 and are the most appropriate for designation as state enterprise zones. Each application made pursuant to s. 290.0055 shall be ranked competitively based on the pervasive poverty, unemployment, and general distress of the area; the strategic plan, including local fiscal and regulatory incentives, prepared pursuant to s. 290.0057; and the prospects for new investment and economic development in the area. Pervasive poverty, unemployment, and general distress shall be weighted 35 percent; strategic plan and local fiscal and regulatory incentives shall be weighted 40 percent; and prospects for new investment and economic development in the area shall be weighted 25 percent.

(3) Any area authorized to be an enterprise zone by both a county and a municipality shall be placed in the appropriate category established under s. 290.0055(4)(b) in which an application by the municipality would have been considered if the municipality had acted alone, if at least 60 percent of the population of the area authorized to be an enterprise zone resides within the municipality. An area authorized to be an enterprise zone by a county and one or more municipalities shall be placed in the category in which an application by the municipality with the highest percentage of residents in such area would have been considered if such municipality had authorized the area to be an enterprise zone.

(4)(a) Notwithstanding s. 290.0055, the department may redesignate any state enterprise zone having an effective date on or before January 1, 2005, as a state enterprise zone upon completion and submittal to the department by the governing body for an enterprise zone of the following:

1. An updated zone profile for the enterprise zone based on the most recent census data that complies with s. 290.0055, except that pervasive poverty criteria may be set aside for rural enterprise zones.

2. A resolution passed by the governing body for that enterprise zone requesting redesignation and explaining the reasons the conditions of the zone merit redesignation.

3. Measurable goals for the enterprise zone developed by the enterprise zone development agency, which may be the goals established in the enterprise zone’s strategic plan.

The governing body may also submit a request for a boundary change in an enterprise zone in the same application to the department as long as the new area complies with the requirements of s. 290.0055, except that pervasive poverty criteria may be set aside for rural enterprise zones.

(b) The department shall, based on the enterprise zone profile and the grounds for redesignation expressed in the resolution, determine whether the enterprise zone merits redesignation. The department may also examine and consider the following:

1. Progress made, if any, in the enterprise zone’s strategic plan.

2. Use of enterprise zone incentives during the life of the enterprise zone.

If the department determines that the enterprise zone merits redesignation, the department shall notify the governing body in writing of its approval of redesignation.

(c) If the enterprise zone is redesignated, the department shall determine if the measurable goals submitted are reasonable. If the department determines that the goals are reasonable, it shall notify the governing body in writing that the goals have been approved.

(d) If the department denies redesignation of an enterprise zone, it shall notify the governing body in writing of the denial. Any county or municipality having jurisdiction over an area denied redesignation as a state enterprise zone pursuant to this subsection may not apply for designation of that area for 1 year following the date of denial.

(5) Notwithstanding s. 290.0055, an area designated as a federal empowerment zone or enterprise community pursuant to Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, or the 1999 Agricultural Appropriations Act shall be designated a state enterprise zone as follows:

(a) An area designated as an urban empowerment zone or urban enterprise community pursuant to Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, or the 2000 Community Renewal Tax Relief Act shall be redesignated a state enterprise zone by the department upon completion of the requirements set out in paragraph (d), except in the case of a county as defined in s. 125.011(1) which, notwithstanding s. 290.0055, may incorporate and include such designated urban empowerment zone or urban enterprise community areas within the boundaries of its state enterprise zones without any limitation as to size.

(b) An area designated as a rural empowerment zone or rural enterprise community pursuant to Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 or the 1999 Agricultural Appropriations Act shall be redesignated a state rural enterprise zone by the department upon completion of the requirements set out in paragraph (d) and may incorporate and include such designated rural empowerment zone or rural enterprise community within the boundaries of its state enterprise zones without any limitation as to size.

(c) Any county or municipality having jurisdiction over an area redesignated as a state enterprise zone pursuant to this subsection, other than a county defined in s. 125.011(1), may not apply for designation of another area.

(d) Before redesignating such areas as state enterprise zones, the department shall ensure that the governing body having jurisdiction over the zone submits the information required under paragraph (4)(a) for redesignation to the department.

(6)(a) The department may develop guidelines necessary for the approval of areas under this section by the Secretary of Commerce.

(b) Such guidelines shall provide for the measurement of pervasive poverty, unemployment, and general distress using the criteria outlined by s. 290.0058.

(c) Such guidelines shall provide for the evaluation of the strategic plan or measurable goals and local fiscal and regulatory incentives for effectiveness, including how the following key principles will be implemented by the governing body or bodies:

1. Economic opportunity, including job creation within the community and throughout the region, as well as entrepreneurial initiatives, small business expansion, and training for jobs that offer upward mobility.

2. Sustainable community development that advances the creation of livable and vibrant communities through comprehensive approaches that coordinate economic, physical, community, and human development.

3. Community-based partnerships involving the participation of all segments of the community.

4. Strategic vision for change that identifies how the community will be revitalized. This vision should include methods for building on community assets and coordinate a response to community needs in a comprehensive fashion. This vision should provide goals and performance benchmarks for measuring progress and establish a framework for evaluating and adjusting the strategic plan or measurable goals.

5. Local fiscal and regulatory incentives enacted pursuant to s. 290.0057(1)(e). These incentives should induce economic revitalization, including job creation and small business expansion.

(d) Such guidelines may provide methods for evaluating the prospects for new investment and economic development in the area, including a review and evaluation of any previous state enterprise zones located in the area.

(7) Upon approval by the department of a resolution authorizing an area to be an enterprise zone pursuant to this section, the department shall assign a unique identifying number to that resolution. The department shall provide the Department of Revenue with a copy of each resolution approved, together with its identifying number.