Agenda Item Name:
Title
City of Archer Request for the County’s Position on Possible Annexation of Alachua County Forever Metzger Tract.
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Presenter:
Ben Chumley, Senior Planner, Growth Management
Description:
The County has received letters from the City Attorney for the City of Archer asking whether the County would be willing to consider the possible annexation of a 641-acre County-owned Alachua County Forever parcel near Watermelon Pond known as the Metzger Tract (see attached letters). County staff will provide a presentation, and is seeking the Board’s direction as to its position regarding the possible annexation of the County-owned parcel in order to respond to the City’s request.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the County not submit an application for voluntary annexation into the City of Archer. Authorize the County Manager to send a letter to the City of Archer advising them of the Board’s position.
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Prior Board Motions:
N/A
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
If the Board decides to move forward with the annexation of the County-owned parcel into the City of Archer, the County may be required to pay any applicable City application fees for the annexation petition and any follow-up land use and zoning change applications.
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Background:
The County received an initial letter from the Archer City Attorney dated December 11, 2019, and then a follow-up letter dated July 23, 2020, asking what the County’s position would be on the possible annexation of the County-owned parcel into the City of Archer. The County parcel in question is 641 acres located near Watermelon Pond in southwestern Alachua County. The parcel is known as the Metzger Tract, and it is presently managed for conservation purposes as part of the County’s land conservation program. The letter from the City Attorney indicates that the City is “in the process of” annexing the adjacent 644-acre privately-owned parcel to the south of the County parcel. Annexation of the County parcel would potentially enable the subsequent annexation of the privately-owned parcel to the south by providing contiguity with the Archer City boundary.
County staff have prepared a preliminary analysis of the City’s request (attached). As detailed in the County staff analysis, there does not appear to be any benefit to the County for annexing this parcel. There would be several potential drawbacks to the annexation, including effects on the management of the Metzger Tract and other conservation parcels in the surrounding area, problems with statutory annexation form, and a lack of municipal services and facilities in the area. If the Board were to decide to move forward with annexation of the County parcel as requested by the City of Archer, there are other questions and factors that would need to be considered, including things such as procedures for annexation and any follow-up land use and zoning processes with the City, as well as potential effects of pending County Charter amendments. Each of these factors is addressed in more detail in the attached staff analysis document.