Tussle erupts over unincorporated area

Kenneth City and Pinellas Park are itching to annex the same chunk of land. Both plan to tout benefits to get property owners to sign on.

By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 14, 2000

KENNETH CITY -- The city has declared annexation war against Pinellas Park. Unincorporated land bounded by 62nd and 66th streets and 54th and 58th avenues is the battleground.

"Pinellas Park has five people in the process of trying to take these properties, and we're doing what we can to stop it," said Mayor William Smith.

"We think we ought to square off our city at 58th Avenue, and if we don't do anything, we will end up with Pinellas Park right on our borders signing people up."

Commissioner Al Carrier, who has been investigating annexation procedures, received the go-ahead Wednesday to begin "knocking on doors" to convince unincorporated property owners of becoming part of Kenneth City.

Carrier said he is compiling comparative data on property and utility taxes that he will present to property owners in the contested area, which is in the northwest corner of a larger planning area that the county has tentatively designated for Kenneth City growth (55th to 66th streets and 40th to 58th avenues).

Pinellas Park officials say the northwest corner of this area was originally assigned to them but is now designated a "buffer" or "no-man's land" open to both cities.

The various boundaries have no force of law.

The county intends to seek a voter referendum within the next year on these and other boundaries. If approved, cities wanting to annex properties outside their "area" would need approval from both the Pinellas Planning Council and the County Commission.

For now, Kenneth City and Pinellas Park are in competition.

Bud Wortendyke, Pinellas Park's economic development director, confirmed Friday that his office is talking to property owners and plans to pursue annexations.

"There's nothing antagonistic going on here; it's just business. There is plenty of property out there for everyone," Wortendyke said.

Pinellas Park has been aggressively pursuing annexations since 1997 and to date has added about 341 acres.

"I've lived here since 1945 and there has been little annexation activity in Kenneth City. I don't think they've grown hardly at all," Wortendyke said.

"You don't annex just to annex. You have to be prepared to provide the services property owners need.

"Kenneth City residents have to pay for Lealman fire protection services in addition to their property taxes. The city has always had a lot of infighting and recently had problems with their police chief. There are a lot of drainage problems they have to deal with. We handle their building permits. What are they going to do for people?"

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