LYNN HAVEN, Fla. (WMBB) — Lynn Haven has finalized a plan to annex pockets of unincorporated land into the city limits.
It will make it easier for property owners to voluntarily join the city.
Bay County officials said by voluntarily annexing properties into Lynn Haven, residents can receive water and sewer services from the city. Officials said they already provide police and fire services to the unincorporated enclaves of Bay County throughout the city.
Tuesday evening Lynn Haven officials unanimously adopted an ordinance establishing a municipal service area agreement with Bay County.
“We can accept some of these voluntary annexation where otherwise we couldn’t,” Lynn Haven City Attorney Kevin Obos said.
Lynn Haven City Planner Amanda Richard approved of the plan. She said some roads have homes inside the city limits and others in unincorporated Bay County.
She expects the ordinance to help clean up the city’s map, making the delivery of services more efficient.
“We do have people that want to annex into Lynn Haven that haven’t been able to because it would create an enclave,” Richard said.
Under this plan, the option to join the city is purely voluntary.
“They can request to be annexed into whatever city like this was for Lynn Haven today, only if they want to,” Bay County Commissioner Tommy Hamm said. “They don’t have to.”
Hamm said there are many benefits to joining a city.
“They can participate in elections if they want. There’s a lot of things that they can benefit from by being in the city and then if they don’t want to, they can stay in unincorporated Bay County just like they are right now,” Hamm stated.
Those who join the city would have to pay Lynn Haven’s city taxes but city officials said the ordinance should not impact their overall finances.