North county annexation: Voters crush proposals from North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens

PALM BEACH GARDENS — Residents of every unincorporated pocket of northern Palm Beach County targeted for annexation by Palm Beach Gardens and North Palm Beach overwhelmingly voted down the offers Tuesday.

Thousands of voters were eligible to cast ballots, and a few hundred had annexation offers from both North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens.

Palm Beach Gardens identified five areas it wanted to annex. If all voted yes, the municipality would have added 1,316 acres and 8,352 residents.

Most of the land and the people are in Area 1, which wound its way from Donald Ross Road south to just beyond PGA Boulevard and from Alternate A1A east to U.S. 1. It included communities as diverse as Cabana Colony, Frenchman's Landing and Hidden Key.

Palm Beach County election results: Click here to find out how your community voted

Out of the more than 2,400 people who voted on the item in Area 1, 93% of them voted against it. The percentage of no votes was even higher in some of the other four areas, made up of homes, apartments and condominiums along Monet Road and RCA Boulevard.

Margins were even starker in some parts of North Palm Beach, where officials sought to annex three zones and a little over 200 homes in total.

In the village's Area 1, which includes the Portage Landing and Hidden Key neighborhoods, 100% of the 136 voters captured in preliminary results rejected annexation.

"While the outcome may not have aligned with our aspirations, we respect and honor the democratic process," Village Manager Chuck Huff said in a prepared statement. "We extend our gratitude to all those who participated in this important decision-making endeavor. Your engagement underscores the vitality of our community and the shared commitment to its future.

"Although the annexation did not pass, the Village of North Palm Beach remains steadfast in its dedication to serving all residents, both existing and prospective. Our mission to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for all remains unchanged."

Palm Beach Gardens also issued a statement following the vote.

"The City of Palm Beach Gardens respects the voice of the voters and the decision they have ultimately made not to join our jurisdiction," the statement reads. "We look forward to remaining good neighbors to these communities and will continue providing excellent services to our existing residents."

A total of 182 of those homes fell in proposed annexation areas for both North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens. The courts would have had to resolve the matter if voters had approved annexing into both communities, said Wendy Sartory Link, Palm Beach County supervisor of elections.

The areas proposed for annexation would have become part of a municipality with a simple majority vote — 50% plus one — even if entire neighborhoods voted against it.

The potential annexation has been a hot topic among neighbors since Palm Beach Gardens announced its plans last fall. Some residents say they like things the way they are without any local government annexing them.

Others saw benefits to it. If annexed, a resident would gain access to the municipalities’ police, fire and recreation services. Some may even see lower property tax bills, depending on their home’s assessed value.

Officials both in Palm Beach Gardens and North Palm Beach have said the proposed annexations are part of larger strategies to round out the city’s boundaries and provide more representation and control over development and redevelopment in those areas.

Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: North county annexation: Voters crush offers from Gardens, North Palm