FELLSMERE — The handful of homes on two streets just outside the Fellsmere city limits are one vote away from becoming a part of the city after the Fellsmere City Council voted unanimously Thursday to approve the annexation.
The Indian River County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to take up the proposed annexation agreement on Dec. 2.
“I definitely think it’s the right thing for us to do,” City Manager Jason Nunemaker told the Council of moving forward with the annexation.
Nunemaker pointed to chronic issues of prostitution, drugs and illegal dumping as the main reasons for pursuing the annexation.
Water quality, too, is another concern, he said, explaining that the homes on 100th Lane and 100th Place are on 40-foot wide lots – not enough room for both the well and septic tanks each home has.
Nunemaker said the City will run a water line along both streets, which will remove the water quality concerns. Residents won’t be required to connect to the City’s water utility until the site has a well or septic failure.
If the County Commission approves the inter-local agreement with the City of Fellsmere to transfer the properties to the City, the City will begin to work to clean up the two streets, removing exotic plants. Doing so would open up the lines of sight and make vacant homes easier to monitor.
