County eyes annexations by municipalities
The Lee County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday decided to address the annexation of unincorporated properties by municipalities.
The elected board directed staff to look at annexations where property owners prefer to remain a part of unincorporated Lee County and so oppose annexation. The commission also directed staff to see how the county can make it uninviting for a property owner to ask for voluntary annexation into a city’s municipal boundaries.
Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass said this issue has come up every year it seems, and it’s typically a countywide issue.
“Cities are organizing throughout the state to increase the value of their city. I’m sure our friends in Alva don’t want to become part of Fort Myers and we’ve seen that with Cape Coral in Matlacha,” Pendergrass said. “People choose to live in unincorporated areas and don’t want boundaries moved upon them.”
County Manager Roger Desjarlais and Commissioner Kevin Ruane are going to meet with Cape Coral City Manager Rob Hernandez and Mayor John Gunter next week, where the issue “has come in fast and hard” in Ruane’s words.
Ruane said he wants to work with the city and talk about the ramifications of annexing properties within county jurisdiction.
“People hear the word ‘voluntary’ and everyone is for it and they don’t know the complexities of it. The developer has made his decision and wants to hook into the local water, they’re approaching the local fire stations. Cape Coral wants five more stations,” Ruane said. “Maybe we need to talk with the municipalities. There’s a certainly a push there for more annexation.”
Cape Coral is looking at ways to annex sites within the county that are surrounded on all sides by parcels within the city limits. These “enclaves” makes things confusing for first responders, with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office or a Pine Island fire station having to respond during in case of an emergency, city officials have said.
To do so, though, the city would have to get a voluntary annexation request from the property owner or owners or pursue an involuntary annexation course with options including an interlocal agreement with Lee County or a Special Act of the Florida State Legislature.
Hernandez confirmed the meeting next week and reaffirmed the city’s commitment to annex properties that are surrounded on all sides by city property.
Desjarlais said skyrocketing real estates and the desire to build commercial is among the reasons cities are clamoring to annex land, as they strive to build up their tax base. Many of these properties are blank canvases, without water or sewer, adding the potential for more taxable value for the cities.
Possibly an interlocal agreement between the county and municipalities could be worked out to see how annexations are going to work going forward.
“How are two entities going to provide services to areas that should be annexed or shouldn’t because of lack of services?” asked County Attorney Richard Wesch. “We need to find those areas that are ripe for annexation and who will furnish essential services and when.”
Cape Coral isn’t the only place where annexation is an issue.
Commissioner Brian Hamman said the North Fort Myers Fire District has come to him regarding how it has affected their area and their tax base.
“Where I’m at, it’s about water and utilities and who will provide the service. I don’t want to get caught off guard with an annexation that’s a bad situation for the residents,” Hamman said.
Danny Ballard, a long-time North Fort Myers resident and North Fort Myers Fire Control & Rescue Service District commissioner, said during public comment that annexation does not always involve undeveloped parcels.
“The city of Fort Myers was trying to annex the river bottom that would give them contiguous boundaries along the north shore of the river where they could go in and take the other things,” Ballard said.
Ballard said he explained to their mayor the city couldn’t provide fire protection because of the potential of clogged bridges and that he would fight him over it. Game over.
Desjarlais laid out the stakes regarding this topic.
“This may well be the most important policy conversation you will have as county commissioners,” Desjarlais said.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com