Fla. Stat. 153.58
Election results; resolution of commission; publication of notice of estoppel
(1)
Immediately after any such election or elections the board of county commissioners shall hold a meeting and shall canvass the votes cast at said election or elections and declare the results thereof by resolution.If a majority of the qualified electors who vote in said election on the creation of such district shall vote in favor of creation of said district the board of county commissioners shall by resolution declare the district duly created, and forthwith cause an estoppel notice to be published one time in a newspaper published in the county and circulating in the district, or if there be no such newspaper, posted in at least 10 public places in the district. Said notice shall recite the due creation of said district pursuant to this law and the affirmative vote of the majority of the qualified electors voting thereon at said election duly called and held; and shall further recite the substance of the provisions of said notice of election set forth in s. 153.56 and that all of the proceedings had and actions taken in the creation of said district, the holding of said election and an accurate description of said district are on file in the office of the clerk of the circuit court open to public inspection, and shall state that any action or proceeding of any kind or nature questioning the validity of the creation and establishment of said district, including but not limited to, the exclusion or inclusion of lands therein, or other pertinent matters, shall be commenced within 20 days after the first publication of such notice in the circuit court in and for the county. If no such action or proceeding shall be commenced or instituted within 20 days after the first publication or posting of such notice, then all taxpayers, property owners or persons residing within said district or any other interested parties, public, private or corporate within the county and all the persons whatsoever shall be forever barred and foreclosed from instituting or commencing any action or proceedings which question the validity of the creation and establishment of said district and the boundaries thereof.If a majority of the qualified freeholder electors residing in the district shall participate in the separate freeholder election on the question of the issuance of general obligation bonds, in the event a separate freeholders election is held at the same time as the election on the creation of the district, and a majority of such qualified freeholder electors shall vote in favor of the issuance of such general obligation bonds then such general obligation bonds shall be deemed approved, but shall not be issued unless the district shall be duly created at the election of the qualified electors referred to above.(a)
If a majority of the qualified electors who vote in said election on the creation of such district shall vote in favor of creation of said district the board of county commissioners shall by resolution declare the district duly created, and forthwith cause an estoppel notice to be published one time in a newspaper published in the county and circulating in the district, or if there be no such newspaper, posted in at least 10 public places in the district. Said notice shall recite the due creation of said district pursuant to this law and the affirmative vote of the majority of the qualified electors voting thereon at said election duly called and held; and shall further recite the substance of the provisions of said notice of election set forth in s. 153.56 and that all of the proceedings had and actions taken in the creation of said district, the holding of said election and an accurate description of said district are on file in the office of the clerk of the circuit court open to public inspection, and shall state that any action or proceeding of any kind or nature questioning the validity of the creation and establishment of said district, including but not limited to, the exclusion or inclusion of lands therein, or other pertinent matters, shall be commenced within 20 days after the first publication of such notice in the circuit court in and for the county. If no such action or proceeding shall be commenced or instituted within 20 days after the first publication or posting of such notice, then all taxpayers, property owners or persons residing within said district or any other interested parties, public, private or corporate within the county and all the persons whatsoever shall be forever barred and foreclosed from instituting or commencing any action or proceedings which question the validity of the creation and establishment of said district and the boundaries thereof.(b)
If a majority of the qualified freeholder electors residing in the district shall participate in the separate freeholder election on the question of the issuance of general obligation bonds, in the event a separate freeholders election is held at the same time as the election on the creation of the district, and a majority of such qualified freeholder electors shall vote in favor of the issuance of such general obligation bonds then such general obligation bonds shall be deemed approved, but shall not be issued unless the district shall be duly created at the election of the qualified electors referred to above.(2)
If the qualified electors who vote in said election on the creation of such district shall vote against the creation of such proposed district, a new petition pertaining to any part of the same area just considered by the board of county commissioners shall not be acted upon by the board of county commissioners until after the expiration of 9 months from the date of the election defeating the creation of said proposed district, even though such new petition shall have been filed by petitioners other than those who originally filed the petition just acted upon by the board of county commissioners, unless 25 percent of the qualified electors of the area petition to have an election.
Source:
Section 153.58 — Election results; resolution of commission; publication of notice of estoppel, https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0153.58 (accessed Aug. 7, 2025).