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Hello!
Do you care about traffic in northern Leon County? Water quality in the already impaired Lake Jackson? Protecting the iconic North Meridian Canopy Road from widening? Saving taxpayer dollars? Following sound planning practices?
If your answer is yes to any of the above, please mark your calendars to speak out.
The proposed annexation of 1,741 acres (about twice the size of the Welaunee Heel and the city’s largest annexation since 1996) along the North Meridian Canopy Road by Lake Jackson is moving forward this summer. There has been no significant data or analysis of the impacts that developing this land would create.
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On July 14, the Leon County Commission will vote on whether to formally raise concerns about this proposal. While this is not a public hearing, we understand that public comments will be allowed. We will provide more details when the agenda is released on July 7.
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On August 26, starting at 6 p.m., the Tallahassee City Commission is scheduled to hold its first and only public hearing on the annexation and vote on the issue. The Commission previously voted 3-2 to move this issue forward.
In December 2026, the County Commission denied the proposal to add this parcel to the Urban Services Area. Circumventing this process, the City is now moving forward on outright annexation, claiming that because the land is currently designated rural, there will be no impacts.
But make no mistake: the ONLY reason to annex this land is to pave the way for major new development.
1000 Friends has been monitoring this issue closely for more than a year and will provide more information soon. In the meantime, you can:
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Mark your calendars for the July 14 and August 26 commission meetings. We will share more information soon.
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Share this message with your friends and urge them to speak out as well.
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Schedule a presentation at an upcoming neighborhood or civic event in July. We will try to meet as many requests as possible.
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Share your photos for use in upcoming alerts, including images showing the beauty of Meridian Road and Lake Jackson, as well as traffic congestion, water quality issues, and other problems already being experienced. Please indicate that you allow 1000 Friends to use the image(s), and, if you wish to be credited, your name or organization.
This is your chance to make a difference in the future of Tallahassee and Leon County.
With sincere appreciation,
Vivian Young, FAICP
Special Projects Director Emeritus
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