Should the city annex the area west of Miami Springs, between the FEC tract and the Palmetto expressway? That’s a question Miami Springs voters will get to answer on November 6th.
- The city would be able to dramatically increase the tax base with a large industrial area.
- Potentially lowering taxes to residents as a result of the widened tax base.
- The city would have to hire more employees to service the area including police officers, public works, code enforcement, and the building department
Below, you’ll find the question as it’ll appear in the November ballot along with a map of the area:
Annexation of Unincorporated Business Area Contiguous to the City of Miami Springs
Shall the City of Miami Springs annex the unincorporated business area generally bounded by NW 36th Street on the south, NW 74th Street on the north, the service road parallel to the Palmetto Expressway on the west, and Ludlam Drive on the east, excluding the Florida East Coast Railway Terminal, recognizing that the area is subject to potential modifications and final approval by Miami-Dade County?
YES
NO
Here’s a link to a Miami Herald article discussing the upcoming annexation vote:
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/election/article219071165.html
Below is a reference guide provided by the City of Miami Springs regarding annexation:
- BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ANNEXATION ISSUEThe City began its annexation efforts in 2002. Since then there have been numerous public meetings, workshops, newsletters, question and answer flyers, mailings, and other related informational campaigns to keep residents informed. Councilman Rob Youngs spearheaded the annexation process during its early stages. On April 7, 2009, a special election was held on the annexation issue and voters approved it by a margin of 76% to 24%. Since that election, there has been a rigorous endeavor to achieve a four city agreement between Doral, Medley, Virginia Gardens and Miami Springs. Each municipality submitted applications again in 2013 and made it as far as the Land and Use Committee and the Board of County Commissioners where they all “died on the table”, meaning they did not move forward to the full Board for review. . Recently, the County requested that the four cities re-submit their applications and that is what Council passed at the June 12, 2017 meeting with a unanimous 5-0 vote. After Second reading by the Council the application will be submitted to the County for processing. The applications of the four cities will now begin again and go through the County review and hopefully approval phase.
From 2002-2013 the City has invested approximately $283,000 in staff time, legal, consultant, and other out-of-pocket expenses.
- WHY IS THE COUNTY WILLING TO ALLOW ANNEXATION? The stated policy of the County is to eliminate enclaves or unincorporated municipal service areas (UMSA) between existing municipal boundaries.
- When Doral became a city, the remaining areas became enclaves.
- Annexation of these areas is inevitable; one or more of the four cities will annex them.
- The County wants to have fiscally viable (sustainable) cities
- WILL ANNEXATION IMPACT THE SERVICES PROVIDED WITHIN THE EXISTING AREA OF THE CITY?
- New personnel and equipment will be obtained to provide the services and these will be paid for solely by the additional revenue received from the annexation area.
- The impact upon the existing city is expected only to add a net revenue surplus (revenues exceeding the costs of services), allowing Miami Springs to lower the millage rate, fund capital projects, and improve services.
- Likewise, annexation should improve property values in the City by providing the funds for new capital projects, services and lower taxes.
- WILL ANNEXATION CREATE A NEW BLOCK OF VOTERS FOR THE CITY?
- At last count, there were less than 10 residents in the annexation area.
- The benefit to the City of annexation is to secure commercial/industrial properties, not residential areas.
- The City would agree to maintain the County zoning and Comprehensive Plan restrictions on the annexed property which is currently commercial/industrial. While the City would have land use and zoning control over the area, residential use is not compatible with the commercial/industrial character of the area.
- It has been the intent of every City Council, and remains the intent of the current City Council to keep this area commercial/industrial considering that the cost of providing municipal services is much less than the cost of providing services to residential areas – therefore, more tax surplus will be received by the City.
- WON’T THE CITY NEED TO PROVIDE ROADWAY, DRAINAGE, CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND POLICE SERVICES IN THESE AREAS?
- The City will provide some of these services, but the City will fund all required new employees, new equipment purchases, and other expenses of providing services with a portion of the taxes received from the annexed area.
- Finally, many services such as fire, water, sewer, and sanitation will continue to be provided by the County or private companies, and not the City.
- WHAT IMPACT WILL ANNEXATION HAVE ON THE RESIDENTIAL NATURE OF THE CITY?
- The same impact as has been experienced from the annexation of the Abraham tract, which has been minimal to non-existent.
- There will be no change to the existing residential areas of the City. The commercial/industrial areas included in the proposed annexation area are isolated and separated from the existing residential areas of the City. They are separated by two canals and a rail yard. The only impact on the existing residential areas should be the receipt of tax surplus funding. This area has existed there for years and has not had a negative impact on our housing values.
- WILL THE CITY HAVE TO PAY ANNUAL MITIGATION FEES TO THE COUNTY?
- No, the County eliminated mitigation payments a few years ago.
- WILL THE CITY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE CANALS IN THE ANNEXED AREAS?
- The Canals will remain the responsibility of the South Florida Water Management District; annexation will not affect the ownership or maintenance of the canals.
- WHAT WILL BE THE IMPACT OF ANNEXATION ON THE CITY’S MILLAGE RATE
- The projections that have been developed based on the assessed value of approx. $768 million of the area being annexed show revenues from the area of $5.9 million less expenses of $2.1 million generating a surplus of $3.8 million to the city. By using this surplus to reduce millage, it is estimated that the city can lower its millage to 5.0000 mills from the current 7.5000.
- IS THERE CONTIGUITY IN THE AREAS OF ANNEXATION?
- Yes, the issue of contiguity was settled years ago; the city has contiguity by and through the area of 74th Street. However, it is important to note that the County does not require contiguity.
- WHAT ABOUT THE FEC PROPERTY?
- The FEC property is specifically excluded from the annexation areas.
- WHAT ABOUT A REFERENDUM ON THE ANNEXATION ISSUE?
- A special election was held on April 7, 2009, below are the results of that vote:
- ANNEXATION BALLOT QUESTION
- Shall the City of Miami Springs annex the property contained within the area from north of the center line of NW 36th Street on the South, to South of the center line of NW 74th Street on the North, except for certain small areas, to the westernmost pavement of Ludlum Drive on the East, to the pavement of the service road parallel to the Palmetto Expressway on the West?
- YES: 1,779
- NO: 559
- Shall the City of Miami Springs annex the property contained within the area from north of the center line of NW 36th Street on the South, to South of the center line of NW 74th Street on the North, except for certain small areas, to the westernmost pavement of Ludlum Drive on the East, to the pavement of the service road parallel to the Palmetto Expressway on the West?
