A formal study of annexation of nine Boca communities is being studied in order to bring county land into the Boca city limits, yielding additional revenue because providing services to largely residential areas is less costly than the income from property taxes. The total annexation package under study contains $1.575BB in taxable property, 2018 acres, 4,319 population, 1,720 employed people, 2,478 homes and 48 commercial properties.
The addition in 2003 of Town Center mall, Via Verde, Coach Houses at Town Place, Santa Barbara and Fairfield Court was involuntary requiring approval by referendum vote that was almost unanimously in favor. Voluntary annexation requires communities to be contiguous to Boca Raton city land, so if some of the communities drop out, others may be required to drop out that are not linked to the city. Voluntary annexation only requires city council approval.
The areas being studied are Boca Grove, Boca Country Club, Costco, St. Andrews, Newport Bay, Fieldbrook, Boniello Acres, Polo Fields and Le Lac. One positive aspect is that many Boca city services are not as expensive as county utilities. One negative aspect is that Le Lac, on the north side of Clint Moore Road between Military Trail and Jog Road, has wells and septic tanks, which the city has been trying to eliminate for years, according to a Councilwoman.
Estimates are that the Costco-Boca Country Club segment would generate a net gain of $268,000; the communities in the northwest would have a net revenue of $1.9MM; Boca Grove would have a net revenue of $332,000. Commercial properties are included along Clint Moore approaching Mlitary Trail and on Powerline and Glades. Upgrades would have to be made to bring road medians up to city standards, with an expense of $400,000 a year.
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