HB 1631 Summary

• Amends the charter of the Trailer Estates Park and Recreation District in Manatee County, re-creating and updating its governance structure and operational provisions.

• Establishes a 9-member board of trustees elected annually on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in December, with 2-year staggered terms; property owners within the district are the only qualified voters.

• Authorizes the district to levy special assessments on improved residential parcels and platted lots as a unit tax (not ad valorem), with assessments collected by the county tax collector and serving as a lien on property.

• Grants trustees broad powers including issuing bonds up to 40 years, acquiring and disposing of property, establishing rules and penalties for facility use (up to $200 per violation, $1,000 cumulative maximum), and providing services like trash collection and internet/television antenna signals.

• Requires two-thirds trustee approval and majority voter referendum approval for charter amendments and for major property acquisitions exceeding $150,000 (adjusted for inflation from October 1, 2021); protects individual trustees from personal liability for district obligations except for negligence or misconduct.