House Bill 3851er

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    1998 Legislature                      HB 3851, First Engrossed



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  2         An act relating to Pinellas County; providing a

  3         short title; providing background and purpose

  4         of the act; providing for the annexation of

  5         certain small enclaves within the

  6         municipalities of Pinellas County; providing

  7         for the act to apply to a specified type of

  8         enclave; providing prerequisites for

  9         annexation; requiring the governing body of a

10         municipality to provide certain incentives

11         within the area to be annexed; providing for

12         certain exemptions; providing for expiration of

13         specified provisions of the act; providing

14         severability; providing an effective date.

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16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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18         Section 1.  Short title.--This act may be cited as the

19  "Act to Provide for the Annexation of Certain Small Enclaves

20  in Pinellas County."

21         Section 2.  Background.--Consistent with the expressed

22  policy of the state to eliminate small enclaves, as set forth

23  in section 171.046(1), Florida Statutes, the Pinellas County

24  Legislative Delegation established an Annexation Study

25  Committee. The Annexation Study Committee conducted public

26  meetings and received detailed reports and input and

27  established that:

28         (1)  Certain small enclaves are a significant problem

29  of a long-standing nature in Pinellas County.

30         (2)  The existing provisions of law are inadequate and

31  do not resolve the problem concerning such small enclaves.


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  1         (3)  The continuation of certain small enclaves is

  2  counterproductive to effective growth management and the

  3  straightforward provision of uniform and complete urban

  4  services.

  5         (4)  The current pattern of unincorporated small

  6  enclaves surrounded by an incorporated municipal jurisdiction

  7  is confusing and inefficient and results in disparate

  8  regulations and services.

  9         Section 3.  Purpose.--It is the purpose of this act to

10  provide a limited, one-time solution to the problem of small

11  enclaves in Pinellas County by enabling the governing body of

12  a municipality to annex certain small enclaves, subject to the

13  parameters set forth in this act and distinct from the

14  requirements set forth in chapter 171, Florida Statutes.

15         Section 4.  Authority.--The governing body of a

16  municipality within Pinellas County may annex, by municipal

17  ordinance, a small enclave surrounded by the respective

18  municipal jurisdiction in accordance with, and limited to, the

19  following:

20         (1)  This act applies only to a type A enclave in

21  existence on the effective date of this act. The term "type A

22  enclave" means an unincorporated improved or developed area

23  that is enclosed within and bounded on all sides by a single

24  municipality.

25         (2)  A type A enclave that is one acres or less in size

26  and is not otherwise exempt under section 8 of this act may be

27  annexed by the governing body of the surrounding municipal

28  jurisdiction upon notice, public hearing, and adoption of the

29  requisite ordinance, in accordance with the otherwise

30  applicable provisions of municipal law set forth in section

31  166.041, Florida Statutes.


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  1         (3)  In exercising authority under this act, a

  2  municipal governing body shall determine the eligibility of,

  3  and legal description for, each type A enclave to be annexed

  4  through the prescribed process for adopting a municipal

  5  ordinance, as set forth in section 166.041, Florida Statutes.

  6         Section 5.  Prerequisites.--The authority for municipal

  7  annexation provided under this act is subject to the

  8  following:

  9         (1)  A new type A enclave may not be created within

10  Pinellas County after the effective date of this act. In order

11  to ensure that a new enclave is not created, each annexation

12  during the effective period of this act must be reviewed by

13  the Pinellas Planning Council and the Countywide Planning

14  Authority who shall determine whether an annexation is

15  consistent with this subsection. If a type A enclave is

16  created after the effective date of this act, the enclave may

17  not be annexed under this act.

18         (2)  This act is only available to, and may only be

19  used by, a municipal governing body that has established a

20  completely defined and exclusive planning area in accordance

21  with the applicable provisions of section 163.3171, Florida

22  Statutes. Each annexation authorized under this act must be

23  within the defined, exclusive planning area of the respective

24  municipal jurisdiction that is subject to annexation.

25         (3)  A municipal governing body that initiates an

26  annexation procedure under this act must determine that it has

27  the capability to provide, in a timely manner, the requisite

28  urban services to the area to be annexed, consistent with the

29  established need and an identified schedule for urban

30  services.

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    1998 Legislature                      HB 3851, First Engrossed



  1         Section 6.  Financial incentives.--In order for the

  2  governing body of a municipality to exercise the authority

  3  provided under this act, the governing body shall establish

  4  incentives by which to mitigate any one-time costs applicable

  5  to an existing developed property within the area to be

  6  annexed, which incentives must include the following:

  7         (1)  The municipal jurisdiction shall pay for all of

  8  the initial cost of extending public water and sewer service

  9  to a property for which such services are not currently

10  provided.

11         (2)  The municipal jurisdiction shall pay the total

12  cost of any applicable impact fees for an existing structure.

13         Section 7.  Interpretation.--This act shall be

14  construed to be consistent with and further the purpose of

15  chapter 171, Florida Statutes, and the Home Rule Charter for

16  Pinellas County.

17         (1)  This act does not limit the availability of the

18  otherwise applicable provisions of section 171.044, Florida

19  Statutes.

20         (2)  The words and terms used in this act are

21  consistent with the definitions contained in section 171.031,

22  Florida Statutes.

23         Section 8.  Exemptions.--

24         (1)  The governing body of a municipality within

25  Pinellas County may not annex by municipal ordinance any

26  unincorporated area that contains more than 1,000 residential

27  dwelling units managed, or to be managed, by a single

28  condominium association, unless each condominium unit owner in

29  the area proposed to be annexed signs a petition proposing

30  that the area be annexed by municipal ordinance.

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  1         (2)  Any water well or septic tank within the enclave

  2  to be annexed which meets state health standards on the

  3  effective date of this act shall be deemed to meet the

  4  municipal code requirements of the annexing municipal

  5  jurisdiction. The annexing municipal jurisdiction may not

  6  require a person who owns property within the enclave on the

  7  date of annexation to connect to the municipal water system or

  8  wastewater system for the period that the person continues to

  9  own the property if the well water or septic tank, as

10  applicable, receives a satisfactory biennial inspection

11  conducted at the property owner's expense.

12         Section 9.  Sunset provision.--This act is designed to

13  address the existing enclave problem in Pinellas County and to

14  allow sufficient time for a structured and equitable solution

15  to be put in place. Sections 1-6 of this act shall expire June

16  30, 2001.

17         Section 10.  Severability.--If any provision of this

18  act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance

19  is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other

20  provisions or applications of the act which can be given

21  effect without the invalid provision or application, and to

22  this end the provisions of this act are declared severable.

23         Section 11.  This act shall take effect on July 1,

24  1999.

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