Submitted by
Susan Hardee Steger
In a letter written to homeowners in the Sandpiper Beach Homes Association, a recent request to be annexed into the City of Fernandina Beach is all about beach driving. “We are writing you to request that you support the action to eliminate beach driving in front of our homes by annexing our properties into the City of Fernandina Beach,” according to the letter signed by Sandpiper board member Tom D. Gambino.
If all goes according to plan, property owners who are registered voters in the affected unincorporated area, will go to the polls and vote to accept or reject the annexation proposal during the November 6 general election. It will take approval from impacted voters and the commission before annexation is a done deal.
After “monitoring the political landscape,” and being “approached by members of the City of Fernandina City Commission,” as written in the letter, a new attempt for annexation is in the works and it appears there are “three out of five votes necessary to annex into the city and eliminate the beach driving north of Peter’s Point Park.”
A previous attempt for Sandpiper area annexation was scuttled in 2008 after former Commissioner Eric Childers, a long time supporter of beach driving, brought forth a resolution to the city commission . The resolution requested the city and county support lobbying efforts to amend State Senate Bill 1577, that allows beach parking from Peter’s Point to the city limits. Childers’ amended version proposed changing the language to “current city limits” in order to protect the existing beach parking/driving boundaries. The resolution passed by a 4 -1 vote at the commission level. After the vote the Sandpiper Association and other properties withdrew their request.
Property to be annexed includes the following: Sandpiper Beach Homes, Villas of Ocean Dunes, and the single family homes north of the Villas to the current city limits. It is estimated that property revenue generated for the city will be $120,000 down from the $150,000 estimate in 2008.
Although property taxes will be higher for the affected properties, property values are expected to increase, and savings are predicted for trash collection and utility costs. According to John Mandrick, director of utilities for the city, no city water or sewer is currently available in the area, and the “cost to supply both could exceed a quarter of a million dollars.” It is understood that the city will require time to complete the extention before city utility service is provided.
A 1996, workshop led to the adoption of Resolution 96-7 with support of former Commissioner Ron Sapp, to place island-wide incorporation on the November ballot. A fact finding task force reported back to the city commissioners their findings in an “annexation urban services plan/report.” The annexation proposal was soundly defeated.
Since that time, a number of properties such as Gateway to Amelia, have voluntarily annexed into the city in order to tap into city sewer and water services. The benefit for the city is more tax dollars being directed toward the city’s general operating fund and more efficiency in providing city services. New tax revenue generated will not impact the proposed 2012-13 budget.
July 6, 2012
4:10 p.m.
My first question is what is the value to the City to Annex this property?
Will the increased property taxes cover the utility installations noted? Do we have a method of applying
impact fees to these properties to cover police, fire, code enforcement, and other additional costs? (i.e. street lights etc), Will we need to add personnel and equipment?
I understand that some of the City administrators seem to have a fixation of annexation, but I would hope that the city tax payers are not required to foot the bill for an increase in property values for the area being annexed. or