Lake Alfred’s Hopscotch Annexation Into Green Swamp Draws Legislature’s Attention

Lake Alfred’s annexation of land at the Interstate 4-County Road 557 interchange for industrial development did not go unnoticed in Tallahassee.
As reported last year in this space, the city annexed part of Hilochee Wildlife Management Area’s Osprey Unit in 2023 to reach the interchange, allegedly without informing state officials what the city had in mind. And, by annexing land with no residences, avoided a referendum.
That annexation drew complaints from nearby property owners who said they wondered whether that would allow heavier development to creep closer to their rural homesteads along Old Grade Road.
State Sen. Colleen Burton of Lakeland filed a bill this year that would require cities to inform all members of the local legislative delegation in advance of the first public hearing on any annexation of state lands.
The bill passed the Houses and Senate unanimously and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it into law last month.
An aide to Burton confirmed complaints about the Lake Alfred annexation led to her filing the bill.
The change in state law does not affect Lake Alfred’s vote but could prevent any further stealth annexations without some kind of outside review.
Meanwhile permitting for a warehouse development on the annexed property is reportedly under way and will involve some wetlands destruction, which will have to be mitigated.