Cassadaga area annexations?

All these questions and more must be answered as we engage in a dialogue of friendship and mutual interest. A formal impact and cost analysis study will, I'm sure, have to be voted upon by our City Commission to assure all of us that this direction is to the benefit of all.

Most of all, this will be a voluntary annexation process. No landowner or group will be forced to annex if they don't feel it is in their best interest to annex.

We don't want or need citizens who aren't happy to live here, plain and simple.

During the last few years, various Cassadaga area residents have expressed an interest in annexing their property into the municipality of Lake Helen.

Many express concerns about commercial sprawl and traffic coming from the 472 Exit 54 Interchange slated to have about three million square feet of shopping center, multifamily, and corporate office complex space. This intense development area could come within 1/4 mile south of Cassadaga Road and about a mile away from the Cassadaga Camp. Other landowners will annex into Deltona to get a commercial zoning land value increase, so this development pressure could seriously impact both Cassadaga and Lake Helen quiet rural lifestyle. The County Council has, thus far, strongly supported the concerns of Lake Helen and Cassadaga about this threat, but as the actual development progresses, they will be under tremendous pressure to favor

Other people in the County unincorporated area feel that Lake Helen government is more concerned about long-range environmental impacts and issues. The Lake Macy waterways and lake cleanup effort, the equestrian and hiking trail project, the stormwater projects are all cited as good examples of our concern for Mother Nature. Other areas in the County south of Lake Helen feel that police protection and response times could be quicker under the Lake
Helen Police Dept. if they annex into the City as the station is located nearby at the south area of town.

Questions of course have arisen as to potential costs and benefits to both Cassadaga potential annexees and our citizens. What about taxes? What about the Cassadaga Post Office, the zip code, the water system alterations, the merchant zoning and signage issues,

A one page insert is included with this City Observer edition. If you are a County resident and think you might at least want further information on annexation issues, fill it out and fax or mail or E-mail to City Hall. If you are a Lake Helen resident, we of course value your opinion of annexation of any Cassadaga areas, or we ask you to pass this form on to a friend or neighbor who is a County resident in our area.

Our City Commissioners want you to be informed every step of the way as we investigate this issue as part of the wonderful future of our town, the Gem of Florida.