Letters to the Editors

Condo residents must learn the truth

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 30, 2000

Re: Annexation.

The proposed annexation area in question on the west side of Park Street is mostly commercial or wetlands. The residential area of our concern is the Otter Key Condominiums. We believe that the president of the condominium association approached the city of Seminole requesting to be annexed. We also believe the reason was due to the much-publicized feuding between the area cities, the discussion of annexation lines being drawn up and the threat of law suits over those lines. The residents of Otter Key and the Seminole Lakes Country Club have been misled. They are fearful of being annexed into a city without any say-so. It's a fact that no city can annex you without the residents requesting a referendum vote. This was stated in your paper on April 10 by David Healey of the Pinellas County Planning Council and by County Commissioner Calvin Harris.

The required annexation report produced by the Tampa Bay Engineering Company for the city of Seminole has errors on it, primarily relating to Florida Statute 171.031, which deals with annexing enclaves. We don't believe either residential area or commercial area is an enclave and should not be subjected to any annexation attempt, referendum or otherwise. Their report also says that the Seminole Fire Department is the primary fire and EMS responder in the proposed annexation area. This statement is also false; Lealman Fire & Rescue is the primary fire and rescue responder to the area south of the Park Street Bridge including Otter Key and the businesses.

The commercial district has no say-so in being annexed if the residents of the Otter Key Condominiums and Seminole Lakes Country Club vote in June to be annexed by Seminole. We have been approached by several of the businesses, and they are unhappy with the city of Seminole. They are satisfied with the fire and EMS service that we provide and know that if annexed they will see a drastic increase in their taxes

The president of the Otter Key Association will not allow us to approach the condominium residents to inform them that they do not have to be annexed by any city. We're not sure why.
-- Thomas Conley, firefighter/paramedic, Lealman Fire and Rescue, Largo

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-- Richard D. Haerther, St. Petersburg

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