Port Richey planning board opens annexation push, targets enclaves and commercial corridor

Port Richey City officials and Planning & Zoning board members discussed a planned annexation outreach campaign at a Sept. 9 board meeting, directing staff to prepare targeted mailings, data on tax and utility impacts, and a public workshop to solicit voluntary annexation from nearby unincorporated properties.

City Manager Mike Carballa, who told the board he has been on the job about 100 days, presented the approach and a draft outreach letter staff produced. Carballa said annexation could “round out the city” and address gaps he described as “Swiss cheese” patterns of city limits, adding that voluntary annexation could increase the city’s tax base and simplify emergency response and code enforcement. He said he estimated “hundreds, if not, over a thousand properties that would make sense” to consider, though he said staff is still compiling exact figures.

The board and staff discussed a mix of incentives and barriers. A board member recounted a recent attempt to annex a…