PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — The Palm Beach Gardens City Council listened to people's frustrations over their plan to annex land at Thursday night's council meeting.
Palm Beach Gardens plans to add five areas of land into its city limits, which includes about 8,600 people. Ultimately, people will get to vote in each zone to join or reject Palm Beach Gardens in a vote likely scheduled for March.
The city, which describes annexation as a "win-win" proposition, said the growth will allow it to lower people's tax rates in Palm Beach Gardens because the tax base would grow. The city also said it will help Palm Beach Gardens understand the capacity it requires for services, like the size of its police department.
The biggest area, which contains more than 1,000 acres and about 7,600 people is Zone 1.
Charlie Hollings, who records show owns property in Zone 1, said he's not happy about the change because he didn't ask to get annexed.
"They didn't ask us," Hollings said. "There was no forewarning."
He's concerned he'll pay more money to the government because of enhanced code enforcement or possibly higher taxes.
Palm Beach Gardens estimated people's taxes would lower if their home's assessed value is at or lower than $411,250, which it said applies to 70% of the homes in the five areas.
It also said an individual's taxes would increase by about $300 if a home was assessed at $600,000.
Bart Collins, who lives in a subdivision in Zone 1, said his taxes would increase enough to make his home unaffordable.
To fight against the proposal, some people in the Hidden Key community hired a lawyer named Nicholas Gieseler. He said Zone 1 is illegal because the city engineered a zone to dilute the voices of other areas.
"The only reason they did this is because they know the communities they really want in their city aren't going to vote for this annexation," Gieseler said. "So they had to lump them in."
He said Zone 1 is similar to a political gerrymander.
City staff and council just listened to the criticism during Thursday night's meeting and didn't respond to those accusations directly. WPTV didn't approach officials because the meeting was still ongoing, but WPTV did contact the city and consultant late Thursday and didn't receive a response by publication.
Zones 2, 3, 4 and 5 contain less than 300 people each.
Residents of each zone will get the opportunity to vote on whether to join the city or not.
