CS/HB 971 - Community Development Districts Summary

• Reduces the acreage threshold for establishing a community development district from 2,500 acres to 1,000 acres when established by rule or ordinance.

• Authorizes districts to contract with towing operators to remove vehicles or vessels from district-owned facilities or properties, subject to the notice and procedural requirements in section 715.07, without requiring public bidding if the operator is on an approved local government list.

• Revises boundary amendment criteria by reducing cumulative net expansion limits from 50% to 10% for rule-established districts (maximum 250 acres instead of 1,000 acres) and from 1,000 to 500 acres for ordinance-established districts.

• Permits up to five districts established by the same local government with elected boards to merge into one surviving district through local ordinance, with specified board membership requirements ensuring representation from each merged district.

• Requires each merging district to hold a public hearing with at least 14 days' notice before filing a merger petition, and prohibits merger petitions from being filed within 30 days after the final public hearing.