City staff gave eight Fisher Plantation residents an overview of the benefits in annexing the subdivision within city limits via a mail-in ballot election at a Monday, March 27, meeting in City Hall. The meeting was intended for Fisher Plantation homeowners.
One upside of of the annexation is a faster emergency response time from the city compared to Orange County, according to fire and police chiefs.
About 160 electors will have the chance to cast their vote in the Tuesday, April 11, mail-in ballot election.
Ballots were mailed out Wednesday, March 22. The Orange County Supervisor of Elections office is to receive them no later than 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11.
If the referendum receives the majority of voter approval, the Fisher Plantation annexation – located west of Errol Estate on the other side of Lester Schopke Road – will be effective April 21 per the City Council-adopted ordinance.
It’s the majority of individual voters, not the number of lots within the subdivision that determines whether the referendum passes, city Community Development Director Jim Hitt said.
Fire Chief Chuck Carnesale compared the distance of Orange County Fire Rescue stations and city stations to Fisher Plantation, illustrating his point that the city stations are closer.
“What I’m trying to say here, folks, is our four fire stations are closer than your first-due fire station from Orange County,” Carnesale said. “I’m not bashing them. That’s just the facts.”
An extended version of this story will appear in the Friday, March 31, issue of The Apopka Chief.
