West Melbourne City Council Item 8.D: BJ Lane Annexation for Industrial Warehouse Site on October 20

On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the West Melbourne City Council will consider whether to start the process of annexing about 29.87 acres off BJ Lane. The land lies north of U.S. Highway 192 and west of the St. Johns Heritage Parkway. The owners, Field & Huntress LLC and Left Lane Melbourne LLC, plan a new industrial warehouse on the site and want city water and sewer service. The request is item 8.D, Annexation Advisability, on the action agenda. Staff recommends that the Council advise staff to proceed with an annexation ordinance, advertisement, and land use assignment. The meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Complex, 2285 Minton Road.

The BJ Lane Request and the Staff Analysis

Item 8.D is not a vote to annex the land. The staff memo from Planning Director Christy Fischer, AICP, states that staff would like the Council's direction on whether to proceed before it prepares the annexation documents. Staff explains that it is asking because the area sits at the western edge of the city.

The memo lists three houses on the land, at 1401, 1601, and 1651 BJ Lane. The proposed use is a new warehouse. The 29.87 acre figure includes the BJ Lane driveway. An aerial in the packet outlines the site in red. It shows the Integra Heritage development to the south, along Highway 192. The only attachment is a boundary survey. Its notes state that the property appears to lie within flood Zone AE, inside a Special Flood Hazard Area.

If the Council directs staff to continue, the memo states there will be advertising and notification costs. It puts the advertising at about $1,200. The funds come from the City Clerk's advertising budget for annexations and are already included through the end of the fiscal year.

The memo describes the BJ Lane properties as ranchettes, with houses and outbuildings for horses and other uses. Some of the houses appear to have been built in 1999, before the city limits reached the west side of Interstate 95.

Staff reports that the properties to the south were annexed and developed with the Integra Heritage multifamily project. At that time, the BJ Lane residents were not interested in selling. During construction of Integra Heritage, some BJ Lane owners had drainage issues, which the memo says were resolved. The owners later sold their ranchettes to Field and Huntress and Left Lane Melbourne.

Staff states that city water and sewer lines are proposed on the east side of the parkway, next to the site. Water would come from a proposed 12 inch water main, and sewer from the public lift station on the east side. The developer would extend the utilities across the parkway into the site.

Staff also reviewed policies in the city's 2045 land use plan. Future Land Use Element Objective 12 calls for evaluating chances to annex properties that are not contaminated or environmentally sensitive. Staff commented that no natural environments remain in the area to preserve. Public Facilities Policy 1.8 requires newly annexed properties to connect to city utilities within 365 days of annexation, unless service is not available. Staff states that the applicant will enter into a development agreement that sets its connection to city water and sewer when the utilities become available. Staff also states that the existing houses, drinking wells, and septic systems will be demolished once the owners develop. The memo calls ending the septic systems desirable for removing leachate that may flow to the St. Johns River.

The Legal Framework for Voluntary Annexation

Staff explains that in the mid-1990s the city enacted an ordinance that requires property next to the city limits to annex before it can connect to city water or sewer. Staff states that the land is contiguous to the city.

Section 171.044, Florida Statutes, sets the process for voluntary annexation. Owners of land in an unincorporated area that is contiguous to a city and reasonably compact may petition the city to annex it. Once the governing body finds that the petition bears the signatures of all owners in the area, it may adopt a nonemergency ordinance at any regular meeting. The ordinance redefines the city boundary to include the land.

The statute also sets notice rules. Notice must run at least once a week for 2 consecutive weeks in a newspaper before the ordinance passes. It must give the ordinance number, a brief description of the area, and a map. At least 10 days before the notice runs, the city must send a copy by certified mail to the Board of County Commissioners. Within 7 days after adoption, the city must file the ordinance with the clerk of the circuit court, the county's chief administrative officer, and the Florida Department of State. The statute bars any voluntary annexation that creates an enclave.

Section 171.031 defines the terms. Land is contiguous when a substantial part of its boundary is coterminous with part of the city boundary. Compactness means the land is concentrated in a single area, without enclaves, pockets, or finger areas in serpentine patterns.

Section 171.062 describes the effect of annexation. Once it takes effect, the land is subject to all city laws, ordinances, and regulations. If the land was under the county land use plan and county zoning, those county rules stay in force until the city adopts a plan amendment that includes the annexed area.

What the Item Means for the Owners and Nearby Property Owners

For the two owners, the Council's direction decides whether the city begins preparing the ordinance, the notices, and the land use designation. The packet does not include a petition, a draft ordinance, a development agreement, or a proposed city land use category. It does not list any hearing dates.

For residents and owners near BJ Lane, state law provides a route to court review after an annexation. Under Section 171.081, a party affected who believes it will suffer material injury because a city failed to follow the Chapter 171 procedures may petition the circuit court for review by certiorari. The petition may be filed within 30 days after the annexation ordinance passes.

The October 20 Meeting and Next Steps

Item 8.D falls under the action agenda, not the public hearings. The agenda's Public Forum, item 6, is open to people who fill out a Request to Speak form and hand it to the City Clerk. Comments are limited to three minutes per person. The agenda also states that all persons wishing to be heard should appear in person or send written comments to the City Clerk. The agenda names the room as the City Council Chamber, and the city's City Council web page lists the Veterans Memorial Complex as the meeting place.

The Council is asked to advise staff whether to proceed with an annexation ordinance, advertisement, and land use assignment for the 29.87 acres north of U.S. Highway 192 and west of the St. Johns Heritage Parkway. The meeting is Tuesday, October 20 at 6:00 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Complex, 2285 Minton Road, West Melbourne.