Acquisition, lease, and disposal of real and personal property.

(1)(a) The department may purchase, lease, exchange, or otherwise acquire any land, property interests, buildings, or other improvements, including personal property within such buildings or on such lands, necessary to secure or use transportation rights-of-way for existing, proposed, or anticipated transportation facilities on the State Highway System, on the State Park Road System, in a rail corridor, or in a transportation corridor designated by the department. Such property shall be held in the name of the state.

(b) The department may accept donations of any land, buildings, or other improvements, including personal property within such buildings or on such lands with or without such conditions, reservations, or reverter provisions as are acceptable to the department. Such donations may be used as transportation rights-of-way or to secure or use transportation rights-of-way for existing, proposed, or anticipated transportation facilities on the State Highway System, on the State Park Road System, or in a transportation corridor designated by the department.

(c) If lands, buildings, or other improvements are needed for transportation purposes, but are held by a federal, state, or local governmental entity and used for public purposes other than transportation, the department may compensate the entity for such properties by providing functionally equivalent replacement facilities. The provision of replacement facilities under this subsection may only be undertaken with the agreement of the governmental entity affected.

(d) The department may contract pursuant to s. 287.055 for auction services used in the conveyance of real or personal property or the conveyance of leasehold interests under subsections (4) and (5). The contract may allow for the contractor to retain a portion of the proceeds as compensation for the contractor’s services.

(2) A complete inventory shall be made of all real or personal property immediately upon possession or acquisition. Such inventory must include a statement of the location or site of each piece of realty, structure, or severable item. Copies of each inventory shall be filed in the district office in which the property is located. Such inventory shall be carried forward to show the final disposition of each item of property, both real and personal.

(3) The inventory of real property that was acquired by the state after December 31, 1988, that has been owned by the state for 10 or more years, and that is not within a transportation corridor or within the right-of-way of a transportation facility shall be evaluated to determine the necessity for retaining the property. If the property is not needed for the construction, operation, and maintenance of a transportation facility or is not located within a transportation corridor, the department may dispose of the property pursuant to subsection (4).

(4) The department may convey, in the name of the state, any land, building, or other property, real or personal, which was acquired under subsection (1) and which the department has determined is not needed for the construction, operation, and maintenance of a transportation facility. When such a determination has been made, property may be disposed of through negotiations, sealed competitive bids, auctions, or any other means the department deems to be in its best interest, with due advertisement for property valued by the department at greater than $10,000. A sale may not occur at a price less than the department’s current estimate of value, except as provided in paragraphs (a)-(d). The department may afford a right of first refusal to the local government or other political subdivision in the jurisdiction in which the parcel is situated, except in a conveyance transacted under paragraph (a), paragraph (c), or paragraph (e). Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, before any conveyance under this subsection may be made, except a conveyance under paragraph (a) or paragraph (c), the department shall first afford a right of first refusal to the previous property owner for the department’s current estimate of value of the property. The right of first refusal must be made in writing and sent to the previous owner via certified mail or hand delivery, effective upon receipt. The right of first refusal must provide the previous owner with a minimum of 30 days to exercise the right in writing and must be sent to the originator of the offer by certified mail or hand delivery, effective upon dispatch. If the previous owner exercises his or her right of first refusal, the previous owner has a minimum of 90 days to close on the property. The right of first refusal set forth in this subsection may not be required for the disposal of property acquired more than 10 years before the date of disposition by the department. If, within 10 years after the date of the department’s acquisition of the property, the previous property owner notifies the department, in writing provided via certified mail to the department’s district secretary of the district in which the property is located, of the previous property owner’s interest in reacquiring the property, the right to receive the right of first refusal vests with such previous owner, and the department is thereafter obligated to issue a right of first refusal to the previous property owner in accordance with this subsection before disposal or conveyance of the property, whenever that may occur. Within 60 days after the department’s receipt of the previous property owner’s notice of interest as provided in this subsection, the department must acknowledge receipt of such notice, in writing provided via certified mail, to the previous property owner.

(a) If the property has been donated to the state for transportation purposes and a transportation facility has not been constructed for at least 5 years, plans have not been prepared for the construction of such facility, and the property is not located in a transportation corridor, the governmental entity may authorize reconveyance of the donated property for no consideration to the original donor or the donor’s heirs, successors, assigns, or representatives.

(b) If the property is to be used for a public purpose, including, but not limited to, affordable housing as provided in ss. 125.379 and 166.0451, the property may be conveyed without consideration to a governmental entity.

(c) If the property was originally acquired specifically to provide replacement housing for persons displaced by transportation projects, the department may negotiate for the sale of such property as replacement housing. As compensation, the state shall receive at least its investment in such property or the department’s current estimate of value, whichever is lower. It is expressly intended that this benefit be extended only to persons actually displaced by the project. Dispositions to any other person must be for at least the department’s current estimate of value.

(d) If the department determines that the property requires significant costs to be incurred or that continued ownership of the property exposes the department to significant liability risks, the department may use the projected maintenance costs over the next 10 years to offset the property’s value in establishing a value for disposal of the property, even if that value is zero.

(e) If, at the discretion of the department, a sale to a person other than an abutting property owner would be inequitable, the property may be sold to the abutting owner for the department’s current estimate of value.

(5) The department may convey a leasehold interest for commercial or other purposes, in the name of the state, to any land, building, or other property, real or personal, which was acquired under subsection (1). However, a lease may not be entered into at a price less than the department’s current estimate of value. The department’s estimate of value shall be prepared in accordance with department procedures, guidelines, and rules for valuation of real property, the cost of which shall be paid by the party seeking the lease of the property.

(a) A lease may be accomplished through negotiations, sealed competitive bids, auction, or any other means the department deems to be in its best interest. The department may allow an outdoor advertising sign to remain on the property acquired or be relocated on department property. This subsection shall not cause a sign to be considered a nonconforming sign pursuant to chapter 479.

(b) If, at the discretion of the department, a lease to a person other than an abutting property owner or tenant with a leasehold interest in the abutting property would be inequitable, the property may be leased to the abutting owner or tenant for at least the department’s current estimate of value.

(c) A lease signed pursuant to paragraph (a) may not be for more than 5 years; however, the department may renegotiate or extend such a lease for an additional 5 years as the department deems appropriate.

(d) Each lease shall provide that, unless otherwise directed by the lessor, any improvements made to the property during the lease shall be removed at the lessee’s expense.

(e) If property is to be used for a public purpose, the property may be leased without consideration to a governmental entity. A lease for a public purpose is exempt from the term limits in paragraph (c).

(f) Paragraphs (c) and (e) do not apply to leases entered into pursuant to s. 260.0161(3), except as provided in such a lease.

(g) A lease executed under this subsection may not be used by the lessee to establish the standing required under s. 73.071(3)(b) if the business had not been established for the specified number of years on the date title passed to the department.

(h) The department may enter into a long-term lease without compensation with a public port listed in s. 403.021(9)(b) for rail corridors used for the operation of a short-line railroad to the port.

(6) This chapter does not prevent the joint use of right-of-way for alternative modes of transportation if the joint use does not impair the integrity and safety of the transportation facility.

(7) The department shall prepare the estimate of value provided under subsection (4) in accordance with department procedures, guidelines, and rules for valuation of real property. If the value of the property is greater than $50,000, as determined by the department estimate, the sale must be at a negotiated price of at least the estimate of value as determined by an appraisal prepared in accordance with department procedures, guidelines, and rules for valuation of real property, the cost of which shall be paid by the party seeking the purchase of the property. If the estimated value is $50,000 or less, the department may use a department staff appraiser or obtain an independent appraisal.

(8) As used in this section, the term “due advertisement” means an advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the area of the improvements of at least 14 calendar days before the date of the receipt of bids or the date on which a public auction is to be held.

(9) The department, with the approval of the Chief Financial Officer, may disburse state funds for real estate closings in a manner consistent with good business practices and in a manner minimizing costs and risks to the state.

(10) The department may purchase title insurance if it determines that such insurance is necessary to protect the public’s investment in property being acquired for transportation purposes. The department shall adopt procedures to be followed in making the determination to purchase title insurance for a particular parcel or group of parcels which, at a minimum, shall specify criteria that the parcels must meet.

(11) This section does not modify the requirements of s. 73.013.