East Lake Annexation Bill Faces Final Vote

For three years, state lawmakers and community activists have been pushing to get legislation passed that would prevent the involuntarily annexation of Palm Harbor's East Lake community. It looks they may have finally succeeded.

In a unanimous vote on February 29, the house passed the CS/HB 699 East Lake Tarpon Community Bill sponsored by State Rep. Peter Nehr, R-Palm Harbor. 

Because it is a "local bill" it will not have to go through the committee process in the senate. The bill is set to go through final passage in the senate on March 5. It will be sponsored by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey and included in group of other local bills that will be voted on together. Nehr is confident the bill will pass this final hurdle.

"This new law will give my constituents of East Lake a long period of time where they do not have to be concerned about whether they will remain in an unincorporated area where they chose to live or be forced to live in a city against their wishes," said Nehr.

The lawmaker says the bill does allow for annexations.

"Voluntary annexations by small areas that want to be part of the cities will be allowed as long as all existing laws are followed," he said.

Local leaders welcomed news of the bill's passage in the house. Don Ewing, President of the Council of North County Neighborhoods released this statement on behalf of the organization's board of directors: 

"We are more than thrilled that the Florida State Legislature considered the importance of this bill to the 33,000 residents of the East Lake communities. The passage of the bill by the Florida House is confirmation that East Lake is a strong, connected, vibrant, whole community that does not want to be split up into multiple parts in multiple cities and should be protected by law from involuntary annexation attempts.

We are thankful to the many community volunteers, Representative Nehr, Senator Fasano, and the rest of the Pinellas Legislative Delegation, the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners and many others for their support and assistance in helping this bill pass.

This effort began in 2009 as a result of the annexation attempt by the City of Oldsmar of the East Lake Woodlands community in East Lake which was defeated in public referendum by 92% of the voters. Today East Lake residents can stand proud and know that their community is whole and protected by law."

Read the CS/HB 699 East Lake Tarpon Community Bill