Make TBO Your Home Page| Subscribe To The Paper| Advertise With Us| Contact Us| Login| Edit Profile| Register
Suncoast Pinellas News
Email
Print
East Lake Voters Just Say No To Annexation
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: March 13, 2009
Updated:
EAST LAKE - The residents of East Lake Woodlands seized upon the first ballot in Pinellas County history conducted via conventional mail to brush aside an offer to be annexed by the city of Oldsmar.
The proposed annexation, which would have included three commercial sites in the area, was rejected by 92 percent of the 3,589 residents of East Lake Woodlands who cast ballots. That vote total represented 62 percent of the community's residents.
Oldsmar residents did not vote on the annexation proposal.
In an e-mail message sent Wednesday to residents of the gated community, state Rep. Peter Nehr, R-Tarpon Springs, praised the high rate of participation in the annexation referendum.
"That percentage is extraordinary," wrote Nehr, who is in Tallahassee taking part in the Legislature's 2009 regular session.
He added, "After this session is over I will be meeting with many organizations in the East Lake area to be sure this type of annexation takeover will not happen again."
Both Oldsmar and the unincorporated East Lake area are within Nehr's Florida House district.
Many East Lake Woodlands residents were concerned annexation might mean they would have to give up their security gates and permit public access to the community's private streets. The East Lake Woodlands Community Association urged residents to reject annexation.
Oldsmar officials attempted to woo residents by telling them it would maintain those streets, provide essential services and offer cheaper recreational amenities.
With the rejection of the annexation proposal, officials of the East Lake Tarpon Special Fire Control District can now breathe a sigh of relief. They had been worrying about the financial impact of having East Lake Woodlands, plus the Shoppes of Boot Ranch, East Lake Woodlands Shopping Center and Lockheed Martin Tactical Defense Systems complex, carved out of the district's property tax base.
The resulting loss of revenue could have forced East Lake Fire and Rescue to close its Station 56, which is near East Lake Woodlands, district officials had been predicting.
Mark Schantz can be reached at 727-815-1075 or mschantz@suncoastnews.com.
Email
Print
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online ©2009 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC. A Media General company. Member Agreement | Privacy Statement | Work With Us
