(1) The Legislature finds that:(a) The coast is rich in a variety of natural, commercial, recreational, ecological, industrial, and aesthetic resources, including, but not limited to, “energy facilities,” as that term is defined in s. 304 of the Coastal Zone Management Act, of immediate potential value to the present and future well-being of the residents of this state.
(b) It is in the state and national interest to protect, maintain, and develop these resources through coordinated management.
(c) State land and water management policies should, to the maximum possible extent, be implemented by local governments through existing processes for the guidance of growth and development.
(2) The Legislature therefore grants authorization for the department to maintain and update a program based on existing statutes and existing rules and submit applications to the appropriate federal agency as a basis for receiving funds under the Coastal Zone Management Act. It is the further intent of the Legislature that enactment of this legislation shall not amend existing statutes or provide additional regulatory authority to any governmental body except as otherwise provided by s. 380.23. The enactment of this legislation shall not in any other way affect any existing statutory or regulatory authority. (3)(a) The Legislature finds that the coastal zone is rich in a variety of natural, commercial, recreational, ecological, industrial, and aesthetic resources of immediate and potential value to the present and future well-being of the residents of this state which will be irretrievably lost or damaged if not properly managed. The participation by citizens of the state is an important factor in developing, adopting, amending, and implementing a program for management of the coastal zone, and management of the state’s coastal zone requires a highly coordinated effort among state, regional, and local officials and agencies.
(b) The state coastal zone management program shall contain each of the program elements necessary to comply with the requirements of the Coastal Zone Management Act, specifically delineating the role of state, regional, and local agencies in implementing the program; and it shall provide that the appeal of any regulatory decision, other than those appeals provided for by existing law, shall be to the Governor and Cabinet.
(4) The Legislature recognizes that land acquisition has great potential to support the state’s coastal management and regulatory efforts. Removing coastal properties from the pool of developable acreage reduces the adverse land use and environmental impacts the state coastal zone management program is attempting to eliminate or diminish, while at the same time minimizing public expenditures and reducing risk to life and property in storm-prone coastal areas. To this end, the acquisition of coastal lands shall be an important component of the coastal zone management program.
