HomeMy WebLinkAboutNOTICE OF RIGHTSSCANNED
NOTICE OF RIGHTS BY
St. Lucie County
As required by Sections 120.569 and 120.60(3), Fla. Stat., the following is notice of the opportunities which
may be available for administrative hearing or judicial review when the substantial interests of a party are
determined by an agency. Please note that this Notice of Rights is. not intended to provide legal advice. Not
all of the legal proceedings detailed below may be an applicable or appropriate remedy. You may wish to
consult an attorney regarding your legal rights.
RIGHT TO REQUEST ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING
A person whose substantial interests are or may be affected by the South Florida Water Management District's
(SFWMD or District) action has the right to request an administrative hearing on that action pursuant to
Sections 120.569 and 120.57, Fla. Stall. Persons seeking a hearing on a SFWMD decision which affects or
may affect their substantial interests shall file a petition for hearing with the Office of the District Clerk of the
SFWMD, in accordance with the filing instructions set forth herein, within 21 days of receipt of written notice of
the decision, unless one of the following shorter time periods apply: (1) within 14 days of the notice of
consolidated intent to grant or deny concurrently reviewed applications for environmental resource permits and
use of sovereign submerged lands pursuant to Section 373.427, Fla. Stat.; or (2) within 14 days of service of
an Administrative Order pursuant to Section 373.119(1), Fla. Stat. "Receipt of written notice of agency
decision" means receipt of written notice through mail, electronic mail, or posting that the SFWMD has or
intends to take final agency action, or publication of notice that the SFWMD has or intends to take final agency
action. Any person who receives written notice of a SFWMD decision and fails to file a written request for
hearing within the timeframe described above waives the right to request a hearing on that decision.
If the District takes final agency action which materially differs from the noticed intended agency decision,
persons who may be substantially affected shall, unless otherwise provided by law, have an additional Rule
28-106.111, Fla. Admin. Code, point of entry.
Any person to whom an emergency order is directed pursuant to Section 373.119(2), Fla. Stat., shall comply
therewith immediately, but on petition to the board shall be afforded a hearing as soon as possible.
A person may file a request for an extension of time for filing a petition. The SFWMD may, for good cause,
grant the request. Requests for extension of time must be filed with the SFWMD prior to the deadline for filing
a petition for hearing. Such requests for extension shall contain a certificate that the moving party has
consulted with all other parties concerning the extension and that the SFWMD and any other parties agree to
or oppose the extension. A timely request for an extension of time shall toll the running of the time period for
filing a petition until the request is acted upon.
FILING INSTRUCTIONS
A petition for administrative hearing must be filed with the Office of the District Clerk of the SFWMD. Filings
with the Office of the District Clerk may be made by mail, hand -delivery, or e-mail. Filings by facsimile will not
be accepted. A petition for administrative hearing or other document is deemed filed upon receipt during
normal business hours by the Office of the District Clerk at SFWMD headquarters in West Palm Beach,
Florida. The District's normal business hours are 8:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m., excluding weekends and District
holidays. Any document received by the Office of the District Clerk after 5:00 p.m. shall be deemed filed as of
8:00 a.m. on the next regular business day. Additional filing instructions are as follows:
• Filings by mail must be addressed to the Office of the District Clerk, P.O. Box 24680, West Palm
Beach, Florida 33416.
Rev. 06121/15
Filings by hand -delivery must be delivered to the Office of the District Clerk. Delivery of a petition to
the SFWMD's security desk does not constitute filing. It will be necessary to request that the
SFWMD's security officer contact the Office of the District Clerk. An employee of the SFWMD's
Clerk's office will receive and file the petition.
Filings by e-mail must be transmitted to the Office of the District Clerk at clerk())sfwmd.gov. The filing
date for a document transmitted by electronic mail shall be the date the Office of the District Clerk
receives the complete document. A party who files a document by e-mail shall (1) represent that the
original physically signed document will be retained by that party for the duration of the proceeding
and of any subsequent appeal or subsequent proceeding in that cause and that the party shall
produce it upon the request of other parties; and (2) be responsible for any delay, disruption, or
interruption of the electronic signals and accepts the full risk that the document may not be properly
filed.
INITIATION OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING
Pursuant to Sections 120.54(5)(b)4. and 120.569(2)(c), Fla. Stat., and Rules 28-106.201 and 28-106.301, Fla.
Admin. Code, initiation of an administrative hearing shall be made by written petition to the SFWMD in legible
form and on 8112 by 11 inch white paper. All petitions shall contain:
I. Identification of the action being contested, including the permit number, application number, SFWMD
file number or any other SFWMD identification number, if known.
2. The name, address, any email address, any facsimile number, and telephone number of the petitioner
and petitioner's representative, if any.
3. An explanation of how the petitioner's substantial interests will be affected by the agency
determination.
4. A statement of when and how the petitioner received notice of the SFWMD's decision.
5. A statement of all disputed issues of material fact. If there are none, the petition must so indicate.
6. A concise statement of the ultimate facts alleged, including the specific facts the petitioner contends
warrant reversal or modification of the SFWMD's proposed action.
7. A statement of the specific rules or statutes the petitioner contends require reversal or modification of
the SFWMD's proposed action.
8. If disputed issues of material fact exist, the statement must also include an explanation of how the
alleged facts relate to the specific rules or statutes.
9. A statement of the relief sought by the petitioner, stating precisely the action the petitioner wishes the
SFWMD to take with respect to the SFWMD's proposed action.
MEDIATION
The procedures for pursuing mediation are set forth in Section 120.573, Fla. Stat., and Rules 28-106.111 and
28-106.401—.405, Fla. Admin. Code. The SFWMD is not proposing mediation for this agency action under
Section 120.573, Fla. Stat., at this time.
RIGHT TO SEEK JUDICIAL REVIEW
Pursuant to Section 120.68, Fla. Stat., and in accordance with Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.110, a party
who is adversely affected by final SFWMD action may seek judicial review of the SFWMD's final decision by filing
a notice of appeal with the Office of the District Clerk of the SFWMD in accordance with the filing instructions set
forth herein within 30 days of rendition of the order to be reviewed, and by filing a copy of the notice with the clerk
of the appropriate district court of appeal.