Local residents won't be going to the polls this spring or even this year to vote on whether to annex Spring Hill and various unincorporated southeastern neighborhoods into the city.
City officials say their earlier plans to have a spring or summer referendum have changed.
Instead, city officials have decided to form four annexation task forces comprised of residents of areas that would be annexed. Task force members will study what the needs are in each of the four areas, said City Manager Mike Abels. Consultants with the Strategic Planning Group will research the cost to provide services to the proposed annexation areas, he said. Under Florida law, people in a given area must be allowed to vote on whether they want to have their property annexed. We need to proceed deliberately on this.