Voluntary Annexation Process

Please note: A recent decision by the District Court of Appeal of Florida, 2nd District, has ruled Ord. No. 00-63 invalid. Therefore, the contents of this section may be outdated. New information will be posted as it becomes available.

Background
Goals

Planning Areas
More Information

Background

Pinellas County Ordinance No. 00-63, approved by voters in a November 2000 referendum, replaces certain state laws governing voluntary annexation with specific procedures tailored to Pinellas County. Implemented by the Pinellas Planning Council and Board of County Commissioners, the process provides for a more rational, predictable, and fair method for voluntary annexation, as authorized by the County Charter.

Goals

The goals of the process are to:

•
Ensure that all voluntary annexations meet certain requirements and are treated uniformly.

•
Improve planning for services, and encourage increased service efficiency.

•
Allow for intergovernmental agreements between the county and cities to provide for services as an alternative to annexation.

•
Eliminate conflicting policies and lawsuits between local governments relating to annexation.

•
Increase certainty with respect to where voluntary annexation can take place by requiring all voluntary annexations to be located within a municipality’s defined planning area.

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Planning Areas

The Planning Areas Map adopted with Ordinance No. 00-63 establishes planning areas for all municipalities that have adjacent unincorporated land. All voluntary annexations must be located within a municipality’s planning area. These boundaries are designed to ensure that individual cities will not be in competition for, or adversaries over, potential annexation areas.

The voluntary annexation process does not force anyone to annex into a municipality. Ordinance No. 00-63 deals strictly with voluntary annexation, and under this process, property CANNOT be annexed into a municipality without the owner’s consent, even if it is located within an area eligible for annexation.

However, please note that Chapter 171 of the Florida Statutes does contain a procedure, referred to as “annexation by referendum,” that allows involuntary annexations under some circumstances. Ordinance No. 00-63 does not affect this type of involuntary annexation.

More Information

More information regarding the history and purpose of the voluntary annexation process for Pinellas County may be found on our Voluntary Annexation Reform Referendum page. PPC staff is also available to answer your individual questions, or to meet with your property-owner’s association or any group of which you are a member. If you are interested, please contact us via the email link, mailing address, or telephone number below.
Pinellas Planning Council
600 Cleveland Street, Suite 850
Clearwater, Florida 33755-4160
(727) 464-8250

The goals of the process are to:
•	Ensure that all voluntary annexations meet certain requirements and are treated uniformly.

•	Improve planning for services, and encourage increased service efficiency.

•	Allow for intergovernmental agreements between the county and cities to provide for services as an alternative to annexation.

•	Eliminate conflicting policies and lawsuits between local governments relating to annexation.

•	Increase certainty with respect to where voluntary annexation can take place by requiring all voluntary annexations to be located within a municipality’s defined planning area.