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City of Pensacola annexations

Revision as of 13:40, 25 October 2009 by 66.210.216.19 (talk) (List of annexation petitions & referenda)

The City of Pensacola has expanded its city limits through annexation on multiple occasions since the original area of 9.75 square miles was laid out by Andrew Jackson in 1822.

A 1937 state law applicable only to Pensacola made large-scale annexation possible only by approval of two-thirds of city voters and two-thirds of voters within the territory to be annexed.[1] This was long considered an insurmountable obstacle to expanding the city limits. In the 1940s, proponents of annexation tried to convince residents in unincorporated areas that joining the city would lower their insurance costs. Also, at that time, homesteads valued up to $5,000 were exempt from city property taxes. Nevertheless, a November 19, 1949 referendum to annex East Pensacola Heights resulted in a 3-to-1 defeat.

Furthermore, in 1949, a push was made to incorporate the Brownsville suburb, which had at the time 8,000-10,000 residents, into its own municipality: the "City of West Pensacola." The proposed boundaries were Avery Street to the north, the Pensacola city limits to the east, Bayou Chico to the south, and the Frisco Railroad tracks to the west.[2] State Senator Philip D. Beall, Jr. introduced a bill on May 20 calling for an election to incorporate the area, but it was vetoed by Governor Fuller Warren on June 10.[3]

List of annexation petitions & referenda

Date Area(s) to annex Size Residents[4] Votes[5]
For Against
November 29, 1949 East Pensacola Heights 173 531
November 10, 1953 Granada easterly around head of Bayou Texar and Municipal Airport, south (through modern Cordova Park) to 15th Street 2,688 acres 160 73
November 17, 1953 East Pensacola Heights 448 acres
February 7, 1956 West Pensacola 153 251
June 21, 1956 Woodland Heights, Springdale and Springdale First Addition west of Carpenter's Creek 240 acres 16 0
1957 Mallory Heights 839 acres
April 23, 1957 Highland Terrace 462 acres 482 registered voters 233 49
1957 Fontanel Place 110 acres
January 16, 1958 West Pensacola business district (centered on Cervantes between O and V Streets) <20 acres petition
1958 Area north and east of the airport 662 acres
1958 Area east of the airport 469 acres
October 21, 1958 Scenic Hills-Gull Point area 1,040 acres 149 registered voters 60 19
December 9, 1958 Warrington 1,532 2,036
1959 Section of Baars & Kirchmaier 249 acres
1959 Portion of Abb's subdivision 226 acres
1959 Ferry Pass Heights 485 acres
1962 Nobles, south of Dunmire 125 acres
1962 Area west of Ferry Pass Highway 40 acres
August 14, 1962 "Old Aviation Field" south of Goulding Road and Herman Avenue and east of Palafox 343 acres 3,114 224 303
1963 Eau Claire Estates 100 acres
January 19, 1965 Warrington, portions of Brownsville, Ensley and Brent, Ferry Pass and others 17.2 square miles 36,000 1,393 7,126
1966 Morris Courts 1,100
October 11, 1966 Area generally north of West Lee Street, south of Brainerd Street, east of J Street, and west of M and N Streets 28.7 acres 1,100 73 81
December 23, 1969 Five schools: Pensacola High, Washington High, Brown-Barge Elementary, Workman Junior High and Holm Elementary 105 acres requested by Escambia County School Board
June 7, 1971 Area generally south of John Carroll Road, east of Beauclair Road, west of Allyn Way and north of Toni Street 11.8 acres over 100 petition
November 8, 1988 (article) Cordova Mall area and areas northeast of the Airport Boulevard/9th Avenue intersection 186 178
Areas around Woodchuck Avenue, Baywoods Drive, and Whisper Way 102 353

Notes & references

  • Cecil Foister. "Annexation Defeat Reason Cloudy." Pensacola News, November 29, 1967.
  1. "Let's Build Better City." Pensacola News. April 26, 1943.
  2. "Bill to Create West Pensacola City Planned." Pensacola News, April 1, 1949.
  3. "Governor Vetoes West Pensacola, Eight Other Bills." Pensacola News, June 11, 1949.
  4. At time of referendum
  5. Except where noted, vote tallies include only residents of areas to be annexed