Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 05-13-08 workshop agenda — reading text

CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH City Council Workshop Meeting Agenda - May 13, 2008 - 5:30 P.M. City Council Chambers 107 Miracle Strip Parkway, SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 CALL TO ORDER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Anderson APPROVAL OF AGENDA ADJOURN Any person who decides to appeal any decision made with respect to any matter at this meeting will need a record of the proceedings, and for such purpose may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. (FS286.0105). The City of Fort Walton Beach adheres to the American with Disabilities Act and will make reasonable modifications for access to this meeting upon request. Please call City Clerk Helen Spencer at 850 -833- 9509 to make a request. For Hearing Impaired dial the City Hall TDD # 850 -833 -9925 or 1 -800-955 -8771 TDD) or 1- 800 -955 -8770 ( Voice). Requests must be received at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting in order to allow the City time to provide requested service. N  CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP May 13, 2008 Workshop Agenda General Public Agenda Item Number: WA- 1 C  CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP Mav 13. 2008 Workshop Agenda Discussion regarding annexation CDS Director) Agenda Item Number: WA- 2  CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH COMMUNITY DEVErLOEMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM Date: May 71 2008 To: Joyce Shanahan, City Manager From: Missy McKim, CDS Director SUBJECT: Annexation Process PROCESS Chapter 171 State Statutes provides the process for annexation which is attached for your information. The City Attorney would be the resource to the Council on the details of the various procedures for annexing adjacent land. BACKGROUND The City has a policy to encourage voluntary annexation. The City incurs the cost to process and advertise for voluntary annexations and streamlines the process as much as possible within the requirements of the Code. In addition, the City has pursued the possibility of annexing the island, twice in the recent past, once in the late 90's and once in 2004. Both times, the majority of property owners /voters on the Island have opposed annexation and the City has not pursued it any further. The results from the survey conducted in 2004 is attached. DISCUSSION From my experience, the only way an area within the County is interested in annexing to a City is if the taxes are lower, or if the taxes are approximately the same but services and amenities are greater. The City of Fort Walton Beach does not have a lower millage rate than the County or the surrounding municipalities. Services /amenities that often make a difference to the average homeowner are the cost and /or quality of police and fire protection; garbagelrecyclinporticultural pick -up; cost of the library, recreation facilities and programs, golf course, beach/boat ramp parking; pedestrian/bicycle paths; cultural programs, etc. Also important is the visual attractiveness of the municipality (quality parks; condition of roads; right -of w - ay landscaping and maintenance); attractive neighborhoods (which makes code enforcement and land use regulations important); quality /affordable housing with different types and styles of houses to suit different life styles and needs; quality services both public and private, -business and job opportunities and services dose to where you live, etc. In other words, the City needs to become a "sustainable community" as described in the CRA Plan. In the past, it appears that the property owners /voters on the Island have not found that the City offers enough additional amenities to justify the additional millage rate. I believe the City of Fort Walton Beach is developing into a sustainable community with the efforts of the CRA and the redevelopment it has encouraged and the City Council has approved and therefore is beginning to position itself in a favorable position to attract annexation. The City has not studied the possibility of annexing other areas besides Okaloosa Island. I believe that Sylvania Heights would be interested in annexing to the City because they believe it would improve their quality of life. With an effective redevelopment plan, this area I believe could be an amenity to the City in time. However, it would take a dedicated effort to bring this area up to the City's standards. If the City is truly interested in annexing significant areas of the County, the City needs to develop a strategy to put itself in a more desirable position by looking at its millage rate and services /amenities as discussed above. Submitted by-ILI y Reviewed and Concur: A 0 4oiceSfiariahan ity Manager  Fort Walton Ocean City FY 2007 -08 Cinco Bayou Mary Esther Okaloosa Island Okaloosa County Beach Wright Assessed Value 1, 485, 863, 467 64, 161, 105 362, 064,381 2, 485, 172, 348 18,926,881, 952 Millage 4. 1986 2. 0639 3. 0125 2. 0250 1. 6460 3. 3443 Ad Val Revenue 5, 926, 619 ' 125, 801 1, 036, 183 3, 886, 064 60, 132, 313 m FWB + CB FWB + ME FWB + Island FWB +OCW Assessed Value 1, 550, 024, 572 1, 847, 927, 848 1, 485,863, 467 3, 971, 035, 815 Millage 4. 0248 3. 3760 4. 1986 1. 5710 Ad Val Revenue 5, 926, 619 5, 926,619 5, 926, 619 5, 926, 619 Annual Savings for FWB Resident 34. 76) 164. 53) 0. 00) 525. 52) on $200K property 2006 Millage Rates by Property Location Fort Walton Okaloosa Ocean City Okaloosa Taxing District Beach Cinco Bayou Mary Esther Island Wright County County 3. 6500 3. 6500 3. 6500 3. 6500 3. 6500 3. 6500 School Board 7. 7860 7. 7860 7.7860 7. 7860 7. 7860 7. 7860 Water District 0. 0500 0. 0500 0. 0500 0. 0500 0. 0500 0.0500 Municipality 4. 6458 2. 3000 3.4000 Parks MSTU 0.2085 0. 2085 0.2085 Fire District 1. 7800 1. 9855 1. 7800 2.0000) (') Fire District rate varies for 16. 1318 15.5660 14.8860 13. 6800 13. 4745 13. 6945 County residents from .7700 for Destin Fire to 2. 0000 for East Millage Variance ( 0. 5658) 1. 2458) 2. 4518) 2. 6573) Niceville Fire. Savings per $ 100K of taxable value ($ 56. 58) 124.58) 245. 18) 265. 73) Annual Cost of Services by Location Fort Walton Okaloosa Ocean City Okaloosa Service Cinco Bayou Mary Esther Beach Island Wright County Ad Valorem Taxes(') 3, 226. 36 $ 3, 113.20 2, 977.20 2, 736. 00 2, 694. 90 2, 738.90 (') Based on $ 200K taxable value Water /SeweP 263. 88 $ 284.52 291. 00 357.60 357.60 357.60 (' Unimum monthly fee Garbage/Recycling 199. 56 $ 199.44 178. 68 199.44 199.44 199.44 3, 689.80 $ 3, 597. 16 3,446. 88 3, 293. 04 3, 251. 94 3, 295.94 Savings per location ($ 92. 64) ($ 242. 92) ($ 396. 76) ($ 437.86) Services for Tax Dollars Fort Walton Okaloosa Ocean City Okaloosa Service Cinco Bayou Mary Esther Beach Island Wright County Police Officers per 2. 63 n/ a n/ a n/ a n/ a 1. 54 1, 000 Pop. Response Time for 1: 48 n/ a n/ a n/ a n/ a 2 :23 High Priority Calls Firefighters per 1, 000