(1) If authorized by a land management plan approved pursuant to chapter 253 or by an interim assignment letter which identifies the interim management activities issued by the Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to chapter 259, the Florida Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may grant privileges, permits, leases, and concessions for the use of state forest lands or any lands leased by or otherwise assigned to the Florida Forest Service for management purposes, timber, and forest products pursuant to this chapter.

(2) The Florida Forest Service is authorized to grant easements for rights-of-way, over, across, and upon state forest lands for the construction and maintenance of poles and lines for the transmission and distribution of electrical power, pipelines for the distribution and transportation of oils and gases, and for telephone and telegraphic purposes and for public roads, under such conditions and limitations as the Florida Forest Service may impose.

(3) The Florida Forest Service may set and impose reasonable fees, rentals, or charges for the use or operation of facilities and concessions on state forests or any lands leased by or otherwise assigned to the Florida Forest Service for management purposes based on factors such as the cost and extent of recreational facilities and services, geographic location, seasonal public demand, fees charged by other governmental and private entities for comparable services and activities, and market value and demand for forest products. Moneys collected from such fees, rentals, and charges shall be deposited into the Incidental Trust Fund of the Florida Forest Service.

(4) The Florida Forest Service may adopt and enforce rules necessary for the protection, utilization, occupancy, and development of state forest lands or any lands leased by or otherwise assigned to the Florida Forest Service for management purposes. Any person violating or otherwise failing to comply with any provision of this subsection or rule adopted under this subsection commits a noncriminal violation as defined in s. 775.08(3), punishable only by fine, not to exceed $500 per violation. Jurisdiction shall be with the appropriate county court.

(5) The Florida Forest Service may prohibit on state forest lands, or any lands leased by or otherwise assigned to the Florida Forest Service for management purposes, activities that interfere with management objectives, create a nuisance, or pose a threat to public safety. Such prohibited activities must be posted with signs not more than 500 feet apart along, and at each corner of, the boundaries of the land. The signs must be placed along the boundary line of posted land in a manner and in such position as to be clearly noticeable from outside the boundary line. A person who violates the provisions of this subsection commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(6) The Florida Forest Service may enter into contracts or agreements, with or without competitive bidding or procurement, to make available, on a fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory basis, property and other structures under Florida Forest Service control for the placement of new facilities by any wireless provider of mobile service as defined in 47 U.S.C. s. 153(27) or 47 U.S.C. s. 332(d) or any telecommunications company as defined in s. 364.02 when it is determined to be practical and feasible to make such property or other structures available. The Florida Forest Service may, without adopting a rule, charge a just, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory fee for the placement of the facilities, payable annually, based on the fair market value of space used by comparable communications facilities in the state. The Florida Forest Service and a wireless provider or telecommunications company may negotiate the reduction or elimination of a fee in consideration of services provided to the Florida Forest Service by the wireless provider or telecommunications company. All such fees collected by the Florida Forest Service shall be deposited in the Incidental Trust Fund.

History.—ss. 1-4, ch. 25324, 1949; s. 1, ch. 59-168; ss. 14, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 251, ch. 71-377; s. 1, ch. 82-46; s. 2, ch. 83-265; s. 1, ch. 87-10; s. 1, ch. 88-321; s. 79, ch. 93-169; s. 5, ch. 97-220; s. 118, ch. 2010-5; s. 24, ch. 2012-7; s. 146, ch. 2014-150.