Many have wondered what is happening with incorporation of the Acreage. I have noticed the incorporation group, PLAN has been silent on the issue other than to state that it is not going to be considered by the legislature for this legislative session.
In the interest of transparency, attached is the letter sent to PLAN regarding concerns the Governmental Accountability Committee has with the feasibility study and the Charter. Whether or not you are in favor of incorporation, there are serious things to be considered in terms of incorporation. Those concerns are shared by the State. It is possible some of the items on the list are surmountable.
The biggest concern for me seems to me to be the legislated boundaries of Indian Trail Improvement District. ITID is 110 square miles. The proposed Acreage is only 38 square miles. While it may not be a concern to remove activated units that exist within other municipalities, mainly Madison Green in Royal Palm Beach and substituting with interlocal service agreements, there are large tracts of land that are currently inactive and that currently ITID is the only entity able to provide drainage solutions in the future. Those large tracts of land are also something I would think the municipality would need for sustainability but also would want to have control with respect to development. If they are not within the boundaries, the municipality would have no more control or say than we do now. It is important for people to understand that ITID is more than just “The Acreage”.
In light of the proposed comprehensive plan from the City of Westlake, it may be the best way to protect ourselves is by way of incorporating the Acreage. I am not convinced yet. There are many things to weigh as we consider the future of our community and how best to protect it and at what cost to do so. It is imperative those discussions happen sooner rather than later.
While I could comment further on the State response, I will leave it open for discussion by our residents and I remain open to those discussions and debate.
2017_0920-State Feasibility Study Review
