Annexations Are On The Move! North Miami Bites Off a Chunk! It's a done deal. North Miami Annexes Southeastern Chunk of Biscayne Gardens. WHO WILL ANNEX OUR PROPERTIES? TIME TO FIND OUT THE FACTS AND FIGHT.
In April 2012, when the County lifted the moratorium on incorporations and annexations that had been imposed on September 4, 2007, the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) appointed a Task Force to study incorporations and annexations. The purpose of the Task Force was as follows:
“...to...address[es] how the County should proceed to address the remaining unincorporated area; and
“...the report...should include, but not be limited to, consideration of full incorporation into various municipalities, annexations or incorporation of the remainder of the unincorporated area into a single County municipality...”
Even before the Task Force held its first meeting on April 3, 2013, however, existing cities had already begun to take chunks of neighboring unincorporated areas into their own cities. North Miami was one of those cities. On April 2, 2013, the BCC adopted a Resolution to allow the City of North Miami to annex the unincorporated area that lies within the boundaries of the proposed Biscayne Gardens municipal area, described as follows:
“...Subject property is bordered on the west side by the Biscayne Canal, on the east side by NE 4th Avenue, on the south side by NE 131st Street, and on the north side by NE 135th Street."
The only rationale for taking this area contained in North Miami's Resolution which initiated this annexation was that
“...the proposed annexation is in the best interests of the City and satisfies the goals, objectives and policies of the City's comprehensive Plan..."
A memo from Mayor Gimenez to the BCC, stated:
"As part of UMSA, the area generates approximately $87,000 in revenues (excluding franchise fees and utility taxes). Approximately $213,850 of budgeted expense may be attributed to that area. As part of the budget development process, a determination will be made as to whether resources will be allocated to the remainder of UMSA or reduced as possible. Should the annexation be approved, the UMSA budget will have approximately $87,600 less in revenue to provide services to the remaining UMSA area if the level of service remains the same."The Staff recommendation stated that the annexation area's 2012 Preliminary Taxable value is $11.96 million. It went on to state:
"At the FY 2012-13 City millage rate of 8.1, the ad valorem revenues attributable to the annexation area would be $92,035. At the FY 2012-13 UMSA millage rate of 1.9283 mills, the ad valorem revenues attributable to the annexation area would be $21,910. The expected tax increase to the entire annexation area would be $70,125 given the high City millage rate, meaning the average homeowner would pay an additional $580 in property taxes if this annexation is approved.”
“...If the annexation is approved,...the County would retain all franchise fees and utility tax revenues of the area. For the proposed annexation, an estimated $16,858 of franchise fees and $33,916 of utility taxes will be retained by the County..."
"...At the public hearing before the Land Use & Development Committee, Commissioner Bell asked whether homeowners within the proposed [un]incorporated area understood that an increase in property taxes would occur. Mr. Jorge Fernandez, Office of Management and Budget, said homeowners within the proposed annexation area and those within 600 feet were notified of the proposed tax increase if the annexation moved forward..."
When the public hearing was opened and the Chair called for persons wishing to appear before the Committee in connection with the proposed ordinance, no one appeared wishing to speak.
When a municipality wishes to annex an unincorporated area, the residents within the area are able to vote on whether or not they wished to be annexed. If the number of residents is less than 250, no vote is required. That's what happened with this little chunk of Biscayne Gardens.
These annexations are taking place right now all over Miami-Dade County. At a recent Task Force meeting, information was disseminated that revealed the following pending annexation applications:
North Miami Beach - 413 acres bounded on the north by Miami Gardens Drive, on the south by NE 163nd Street, on the west by NE 6th Avenue, and on the east by NE 15th Avenue.
El Portal - Area A: 2 acres, bordered by NW 91st Street to the north, NW 2nd Avenue to the east, the theoretic location of NW 87th Street, and the Little River Canal to the south, NW 3rd Avenue to the west. Area B - a small area to the southeast of the Village located between the Village's southern boundary on the north, Biscayne Boulevard to the east, the City8 of Miami to the South, and the City of Miami and the Little River to the west.
Miami Lakes - on April 26, 2013, published an Annexation Report that states: "Miami- Dade County has opened the doors for annexation proposals for the unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade County; as a result. . .the Town Council directed staff to exercise its due diligence and to assess and evaluate the feasibility, benefits and negatives of annexing the unincorporated areas to the north of the Town" that lie in Commission District 13.
Sweetwater - Approximately 78 acres. Parcel 1 - bounded by FIU Engineering Campus on the north by the property line north of Flagler Street, on the south by Flagler Street, on the east by NW 107th Avenue, and on the west by a property line west of NW 107th Avenue. Parcel 2 - right of way along the north side of Flagler Street between 110th Avenue and 102" Avenue. Parcel 3 - right of way along SW 8th Street from SW 102nd Avenue and the Snapper Creek Canal.
Florida City - Approximately 812 acres bounded on the north by SW 352nd Street, on the south by SW 384th Street. on the east by SW 180th Avenue, and on the west by SW 19nd Avenue. Majority of this area lies outside the Urban Development Boundary.
Doral, Medley, Miami Springs & Virginia Gardens - All 4 municipalities have requested to annex mostly commercial/industrial areas west of Miami International Airport, but include overlapping boundaries.
West Kendall - This is a very large area of unincorporated Miami-Dade County. Commissioner Juan Zapata in whose district most of this area lies requested the BCC to form three MACs to turn this large area into three new cities.
Before the moratorium was imposed in 2007, the County sent letters to all existing cities that bordered unincorporated areas, requesting that they describe in writing their interest in annexing "part or the entire unincorporated area covered by the proposed incorporation." The four cities that make Biscayne Gardens an enclave are North Miami, North Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, and Opa-locka.
The responses indicated that:
"...The City of Opa-locka has not requested any area of the Biscayne Gardens MAC study area...the City of North Miami interested in a portion of the MAC study area, the City of North Miami Beach is interested in another portion of the MAC study area, and the City of Miami Gardens has requested additional information on the MAC area but has not officially responded with their interest."More annexation requests are sure to be forthcoming. Presently there are maybe a dozen areas seeking incorporation: Northeast Dade, North Central Dade, Fountainebleau, Biscayne Gardens, East Kendall, West Kendall (3 new cities), Redland, Redland Edge, and Fisher Island.
If all of these efforts to either incorporate or annex are successful, the remaining unincorporated area, which is now about 43% of the County, will be reduced to a very small percentage. If that should occur, the County will undoubtedly not be able to service such a small area that generates very little revenue to pay for those services, and they will be up for annexation by existing cities.
All 32,705 residents of Biscayne Gardens need to get educated on this very important issue which will greatly affect our quality of life. The Biscayne Gardens Civic Association has initiated a dialogue to do just that, and will cover this process as it plays out. Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez has sent a memo to the County Commission outlining his recommendations regarding whether or not the County should get out of the municipal service business so that it can focus on the big problems the County will be facing in the future.
The Preamble to the Miami-Dade County Home Rule Charter states:
We, the people of this County, in order to secure for ourselves the benefits and responsibilities of home rule, to create a metropolitan government to serve our present and future needs, and to endow our municipalities with the rights of self determination in their local affairs, do under God adopt this home rule Charter.Miami-Dade County is the only county the State of Florida that has a Home Rule Charter, giving the County Commission the power to do what all other counties in the state must seek from the Florida Legislature. Now is the time for Biscayne Gardens to make the decision of self-governance, so that we can look to locally-elected officials to make the decisions that affect our quality of life and put government closer to the people.
Citizens of Biscayne Gardens, before you make a decision on whether or not you want to become a city, please seek out all of the facts, and pay attention to what the looming trend toward annexations the lifting of the moratorium could bring to our community.
If we were to be annexed by any of our four surrounding cities, our millage rates, and thus our taxes, would escalate as follows:
Opa-locka ................... 9.1 mills
North Miami.................. 8.1 mills
North Miami Beach ...... 6.6 mills
Miami Gardens............. 6.3 mills
The Biscayne Gardens MAC - before the moratorium stopped the process - had determined that our community could run a very nice city at the County's 2.47 millage rate we were then paying to the County anyway in the form of an UMSA tax (look at your tax bill). The proposed budget allowed for 27 police officers patrolling within our 5 square miles, thus creating better response time to crime. Becoming a city would permit us to control our own zoning, and to create our own Code Enforcement Department. All other services like Fire, Library, School, and garbage/trash collection would stay with the County and we would continue paying for them as we are already doing now.
"As part of UMSA, the area generates approximately $87,000 in revenues (excluding franchise fees and utility taxes). Approximately $213,850 of budgeted expense may be attributed to that area. As part of the budget development process, a determination will be made as to whether resources will be allocated to the remainder of UMSA or reduced as possible. Should the annexation be approved, the UMSA budget will have approximately $87,600 less in revenue to provide services to the remaining UMSA area if the level of service remains the same."The Staff recommendation stated that the annexation area's 2012 Preliminary Taxable value is $11.96 million. It went on to state:
"At the FY 2012-13 City millage rate of 8.1, the ad valorem revenues attributable to the annexation area would be $92,035. At the FY 2012-13 UMSA millage rate of 1.9283 mills, the ad valorem revenues attributable to the annexation area would be $21,910. The expected tax increase to the entire annexation area would be $70,125 given the high City millage rate, meaning the average homeowner would pay an additional $580 in property taxes if this annexation is approved.”
“...If the annexation is approved,...the County would retain all franchise fees and utility tax revenues of the area. For the proposed annexation, an estimated $16,858 of franchise fees and $33,916 of utility taxes will be retained by the County..."
"...At the public hearing before the Land Use & Development Committee, Commissioner Bell asked whether homeowners within the proposed [un]incorporated area understood that an increase in property taxes would occur. Mr. Jorge Fernandez, Office of Management and Budget, said homeowners within the proposed annexation area and those within 600 feet were notified of the proposed tax increase if the annexation moved forward..."
When the public hearing was opened and the Chair called for persons wishing to appear before the Committee in connection with the proposed ordinance, no one appeared wishing to speak.
When a municipality wishes to annex an unincorporated area, the residents within the area are able to vote on whether or not they wished to be annexed. If the number of residents is less than 250, no vote is required. That's what happened with this little chunk of Biscayne Gardens.
These annexations are taking place right now all over Miami-Dade County. At a recent Task Force meeting, information was disseminated that revealed the following pending annexation applications:
North Miami Beach - 413 acres bounded on the north by Miami Gardens Drive, on the south by NE 163nd Street, on the west by NE 6th Avenue, and on the east by NE 15th Avenue.
El Portal - Area A: 2 acres, bordered by NW 91st Street to the north, NW 2nd Avenue to the east, the theoretic location of NW 87th Street, and the Little River Canal to the south, NW 3rd Avenue to the west. Area B - a small area to the southeast of the Village located between the Village's southern boundary on the north, Biscayne Boulevard to the east, the City8 of Miami to the South, and the City of Miami and the Little River to the west.
Miami Lakes - on April 26, 2013, published an Annexation Report that states: "Miami- Dade County has opened the doors for annexation proposals for the unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade County; as a result. . .the Town Council directed staff to exercise its due diligence and to assess and evaluate the feasibility, benefits and negatives of annexing the unincorporated areas to the north of the Town" that lie in Commission District 13.
Sweetwater - Approximately 78 acres. Parcel 1 - bounded by FIU Engineering Campus on the north by the property line north of Flagler Street, on the south by Flagler Street, on the east by NW 107th Avenue, and on the west by a property line west of NW 107th Avenue. Parcel 2 - right of way along the north side of Flagler Street between 110th Avenue and 102" Avenue. Parcel 3 - right of way along SW 8th Street from SW 102nd Avenue and the Snapper Creek Canal.
Florida City - Approximately 812 acres bounded on the north by SW 352nd Street, on the south by SW 384th Street. on the east by SW 180th Avenue, and on the west by SW 19nd Avenue. Majority of this area lies outside the Urban Development Boundary.
Doral, Medley, Miami Springs & Virginia Gardens - All 4 municipalities have requested to annex mostly commercial/industrial areas west of Miami International Airport, but include overlapping boundaries.
West Kendall - This is a very large area of unincorporated Miami-Dade County. Commissioner Juan Zapata in whose district most of this area lies requested the BCC to form three MACs to turn this large area into three new cities.
Before the moratorium was imposed in 2007, the County sent letters to all existing cities that bordered unincorporated areas, requesting that they describe in writing their interest in annexing "part or the entire unincorporated area covered by the proposed incorporation." The four cities that make Biscayne Gardens an enclave are North Miami, North Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, and Opa-locka.
The responses indicated that:
"...The City of Opa-locka has not requested any area of the Biscayne Gardens MAC study area...the City of North Miami interested in a portion of the MAC study area, the City of North Miami Beach is interested in another portion of the MAC study area, and the City of Miami Gardens has requested additional information on the MAC area but has not officially responded with their interest."More annexation requests are sure to be forthcoming. Presently there are maybe a dozen areas seeking incorporation: Northeast Dade, North Central Dade, Fountainebleau, Biscayne Gardens, East Kendall, West Kendall (3 new cities), Redland, Redland Edge, and Fisher Island.
If all of these efforts to either incorporate or annex are successful, the remaining unincorporated area, which is now about 43% of the County, will be reduced to a very small percentage. If that should occur, the County will undoubtedly not be able to service such a small area that generates very little revenue to pay for those services, and they will be up for annexation by existing cities.
All 32,705 residents of Biscayne Gardens need to get educated on this very important issue which will greatly affect our quality of life. The Biscayne Gardens Civic Association has initiated a dialogue to do just that, and will cover this process as it plays out. Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez has sent a memo to the County Commission outlining his recommendations regarding whether or not the County should get out of the municipal service business so that it can focus on the big problems the County will be facing in the future.
The Preamble to the Miami-Dade County Home Rule Charter states:
We, the people of this County, in order to secure for ourselves the benefits and responsibilities of home rule, to create a metropolitan government to serve our present and future needs, and to endow our municipalities with the rights of self determination in their local affairs, do under God adopt this home rule Charter.Miami-Dade County is the only county the State of Florida that has a Home Rule Charter, giving the County Commission the power to do what all other counties in the state must seek from the Florida Legislature. Now is the time for Biscayne Gardens to make the decision of self-governance, so that we can look to locally-elected officials to make the decisions that affect our quality of life and put government closer to the people.
Citizens of Biscayne Gardens, before you make a decision on whether or not you want to become a city, please seek out all of the facts, and pay attention to what the looming trend toward annexations the lifting of the moratorium could bring to our community.
If we were to be annexed by any of our four surrounding cities, our millage rates, and thus our taxes, would escalate as follows:
Opa-locka ................... 9.1 mills
North Miami.................. 8.1 mills
North Miami Beach ...... 6.6 mills
Miami Gardens............. 6.3 mills
The Biscayne Gardens MAC - before the moratorium stopped the process - had determined that our community could run a very nice city at the County's 2.47 millage rate we were then paying to the County anyway in the form of an UMSA tax (look at your tax bill). The proposed budget allowed for 27 police officers patrolling within our 5 square miles, thus creating better response time to crime. Becoming a city would permit us to control our own zoning, and to create our own Code Enforcement Department. All other services like Fire, Library, School, and garbage/trash collection would stay with the County and we would continue paying for them as we are already doing now.