Fla. Stat. 157.03
Commissioners to appoint committee; report of plans and estimate; letting contract; right-of-way for drains

When the county commissioners shall order that such ditch, drain or canal, shall be established, they shall appoint a committee of three disinterested freeholders who are citizens of the county, who may employ a surveyor, and shall cause an accurate survey to be made of the proposed ditch, drain or canal, and shall establish the commencement, route, and terminus of said ditch, drain or canal, the width, length, and depth thereof, and shall make and present to the county commissioners, at their next regular meeting, or at a meeting as soon thereafter as practicable, plans, specifications and profiles for said construction, together with an estimate of the approximate cost of said ditch, drain or canal, and the annual cost of its maintenance, and upon this report of the said committee, the board of county commissioners shall advertise once a week for 3 weeks, in a newspaper published in the said county, for bids for the construction of said ditch, drain or canal, and the same shall be given to the lowest responsible bidder; provided, the board of county commissioners may, if they deem it for the best interest of all concerned, reject all bids; and in case said bids are rejected they may advertise for further bids. Whenever the survey for any proposed ditch, drain or canal, shall run through the lands of anyone who shall object thereto, the board of county commissioners may proceed to condemn the right-of-way for such ditch, drain or canal, and pay therefor out of the funds arising from the levy and assessments hereinafter provided for.

Source: Section 157.03 — Commissioners to appoint committee; report of plans and estimate; letting contract; right-of-way for drains, https://www.­flsenate.­gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0157.­03 (accessed Aug. 7, 2025).

157.01
Public ditch, drain or canal 157.02
Action on petition by county commissioners 157.03
Commissioners to appoint committee 157.04
Bond required before letting contract 157.05
Work done under supervision of committee 157.06
Committee to view land before letting contract 157.07
Where cost of construction exceeds estimated cost commissioners to assess difference 157.08
Assessments 157.09
Compensation of committee 157.10
Application to lateral ditches 157.11
Lateral drains may be established 157.12
Duty of bond trustees to borrow money to pay interest on bonds until collection of first assessment 157.13
Use of surplus of bond proceeds 157.14
Owner may pay whole tax in one sum 157.15
County commissioners may issue bonds to pay scrip 157.16
Enlarging drains and assessing cost 157.17
Assessment to maintain drains 157.18
Awarding contract for enlarging or repairing drains 157.19
Where actual cost exceeds estimated cost 157.20
Appointment of committee to view work and make assessments 157.21
Enlargement of drains 157.22
Repairing drains 157.23
Objections to report of committee fixing assessments 157.24
Commissioners may issue interest-bearing scrip against land to borrow money or pay for work 157.25
Compensation of committee 157.26
Repair and maintenance of drains under supervision of county commissioners 157.27
Proceedings for making repair to drains, etc 157.28
Awarding contracts for repair 157.29
Levy of tax for maintaining and repairing drains 157.30
Reassessment of lands where attempt to establish ditch or canal irregular 157.31
Notice of reassessment for drainage 157.32
Reviewing complaints and making assessment against property benefited 157.33
Issuance of scrip to take up former scrip or bonds 157.34
Reassessments to have effect as original assessment 157.35
Assessments conclusive after lapse of 6 months 157.36
Adjustment of drainage tax liens

Current through Fall 2025

§ 157.03. Comm’rs to appoint committee; report of plans & estimate; letting contract; right-of-way for drains's source at flsenate​.gov