(1) Upon application of the governing body of a county or municipality or of a county and one or more municipalities jointly pursuant to s. 290.0055, the department, in consultation with the interagency coordinating council, shall determine which areas nominated by such governing bodies meet the criteria outlined in s. 290.0055 and are the most appropriate for designation as state enterprise zones. The department is authorized to designate up to 5 areas within each of the categories established in subparagraphs (3)(a)1., 2., 3., 4., and 5., except that the department may only designate a total of 20 areas as enterprise zones. The department shall not designate more than three enterprise zones in any one county. All designations, including any provision for redesignations, of state enterprise zones pursuant to this section shall be effective July 1, 1995.

(2) Each application made pursuant to s. 290.0055 shall be ranked competitively within the appropriate category established pursuant to subsection (3) based on the pervasive poverty, unemployment, and general distress of the area; the strategic plan, including local fiscal and regulatory incentives, prepared pursuant to s. 290.0057; and the prospects for new investment and economic development in the area. Pervasive poverty, unemployment, and general distress shall be weighted 35 percent; strategic plan and local fiscal and regulatory incentives shall be weighted 40 percent; and prospects for new investment and economic development in the area shall be weighted 25 percent.

(3)

(a) Each area designated as an enterprise zone pursuant to this section shall be placed in one of the following categories based on the 1990 census: 1. Communities consisting of census tracts in areas having a total population of 150,000 persons or more. 2. Communities consisting of census tracts in areas having a total population of 50,000 persons or more but less than 150,000 persons. 3. Communities having a population of 20,000 persons or more but less than 50,000 persons. 4. Communities having a population of 7,500 persons or more but less than 20,000 persons. 5. Communities having a population of less than 7,500 persons.

(b) Any area authorized to be an enterprise zone by both a county and a municipality shall be placed in the appropriate category established under paragraph (a) in which an application by the municipality would have been considered if the municipality had acted alone, if at least 60 percent of the population of the area authorized to be an enterprise zone resides within the municipality. An area authorized to be an enterprise zone by a county and one or more municipalities shall be placed in the category in which an application by the municipality with the highest percentage of residents in such area would have been considered if such municipality had authorized the area to be an enterprise zone. An area authorized to be an enterprise zone by a county as defined by s. 125.011(1) shall be placed in the category in which an application by the municipality in which the area is located would have been considered if the municipality had authorized such area to be an enterprise zone. An area authorized to be an enterprise zone by a county as defined by s. 125.011(1) which area is located in two or more municipalities shall be placed in the category in which an application by the municipality with the highest percentage of residents in such area would have been considered if such municipality had authorized such area to be an enterprise zone.

(4)

(a) Notwithstanding s. 290.0055, any area existing as a state enterprise zone as of the effective date of this section and originally approved through a joint application from a county and municipality, or through an application from a county as defined in s. 125.011(1), shall be redesignated as a state enterprise zone upon the creation of an enterprise zone development agency pursuant to s. 290.0056 and the completion of a strategic plan pursuant to s. 290.0057. Any area redesignated pursuant to this subsection, other than an area located in a county defined in s. 125.011(1), may be relocated or modified by the appropriate governmental bodies. Such relocation or modification shall be identified in the strategic plan and shall meet the requirements for designation as established by s. 290.005. Any relocation or modification shall be submitted on or before June 1, 1996.

(b) The department shall place any area designated as a state enterprise zone pursuant to this subsection in the appropriate category established in subsection (3), and include such designations within the limitations on state enterprise zone designations set out in subsection (1).

(c) Any county or municipality having jurisdiction over an area designated as a state enterprise zone pursuant to this subsection, other than a county defined by s. 125.011(1), may not apply for designation of another area.

(5) Notwithstanding s. 290.0055, an area designated as a federal empowerment zone or enterprise community pursuant to Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 shall be designated a state enterprise zone as follows:

(a) An area designated as an urban empowerment zone or urban enterprise community pursuant to Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 shall be designated a state enterprise zone by the department upon completion of the requirements set out in paragraph (d), except in the case of a county as defined in s. 125.011(1) which, notwithstanding s. 290.0055, may incorporate and include such designated urban empowerment zone or urban enterprise community areas within the boundaries of its state enterprise zones without any limitation as to size.

(b) An area designated as a rural empowerment zone or rural enterprise community pursuant to Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 shall be designated a state enterprise zone by the department upon completion of the requirements set out in paragraph (d).

(c) Any county or municipality having jurisdiction over an area designated as a state enterprise zone pursuant to this subsection, other than a county defined in s. 125.011(1), may not apply for designation of another area.

(d) Prior to designating such areas as state enterprise zones, the department shall ensure that the governing body having jurisdiction over the zone submits the strategic plan required pursuant to 7 C.F.R. part 25 or 24 C.F.R. part 597 to the department, and creates an enterprise zone development agency pursuant to s. 290.0056.

(e) The department shall place any area designated as a state enterprise zone pursuant to this subsection in the appropriate category established in subsection (3), and include such designations within the limitations on state enterprise zone designations set out in subsection (1).

(6)

(a) The department, in consultation with the interagency coordinating council, shall promulgate any rules necessary for the approval of areas under this section by the secretary.

(b) Such rules shall provide for the measurement of pervasive poverty, unemployment, and general distress using the criteria outlined by s. 290.0058.

(c) Such rules shall provide for the evaluation of the strategic plan and local fiscal and regulatory incentives for effectiveness, including how the following key principles will be implemented by the governing body or bodies: 1. Economic opportunity, including job creation within the community and throughout the region, as well as entrepreneurial initiatives, small business expansion, and training for jobs that offer upward mobility. 2. Sustainable community development that advances the creation of livable and vibrant communities through comprehensive approaches that coordinate economic, physical, community, and human development. 3. Community-based partnerships involving the participation of all segments of the community. 4. Strategic vision for change that identifies how the community will be revitalized. This vision should include methods for building on community assets and coordinate a response to community needs in a comprehensive fashion. This vision should provide goals and performance benchmarks for measuring progress and establish a framework for evaluating and adjusting the strategic plan. 5. Local fiscal and regulatory incentives enacted pursuant to s. 290.0057(1)(e). These incentives should induce economic revitalization, including job creation and small business expansion.

(d) Such rules shall provide methods for evaluating the prospects for new investment and economic development in the area, including a review and evaluation of any previous state enterprise zones located in the area.