What drove Jewfish Key residents to petition for de-annexation?

Off the coast of Longboat Key’s north end, Jewfish Key is home to about 38 acres and eight properties. The property owners question whether it makes sense to be a part of Longboat Key. 

On Jan. 16, the Jewfish Key Preservation Association, Inc. submitted a petition for de-annexation, or contraction, to the town of Longboat Key. The town is now required to conduct a feasibility study to determine if it makes sense for Jewfish Key to remain a part of the town or become part of unincorporated Manatee County. 

“I think it’s an important question to be answered,” said Steve Ellis, a property owner on Jewfish Key. “And the study, I think, is going to help us figure that all out.”

Ellis first bought property on Jewfish Key about 20 years ago.

“The privacy you have between lots was unique,” Ellis said. “We’re not stuffed right up against each other, we’re really spread out.”

Aside from the privacy on land, the sandbar immediately off the island is what attracted some homeowners. It’s the same reason the sandbar draws large crowds during peak season, holidays and weekends. 

“We used to enjoy the sandbar quite a bit,” Ellis said. “It’s probably more of an issue for us at this point.”

Ellis said that during much of the week, life on Jewfish Key is private. But when the sandbar brings in large crowds, it can become a nuisance and an invasion of privacy.

One of the key reasons Ellis noted as to why the homeowners petitioned for the de-annexation was that the amount of taxes paid by the homeowners was high compared to the services received from the town.

“We pay pretty high taxes, and we don’t get an awful lot of service for those dollars,” Ellis said. “It’s an economic question.”

For example, Ellis said Jewfish Key homeowners were a part of the town’s assessment for the underground utility project. But, Jewfish Key had underground power lines before the townwide project, according to Ellis. 

Other routine services, like trash pickup, are things that Ellis said the homeowners don't receive. 

The town’s regulations that restrict short-term rentals were also a reason behind the petition. 

“We’re forced to abide by the regulations of Longboat Key, which prevent us from renting our homes freely,” Ellis said.

The town has a minimum rental requirement of 30 days, except for about 30 properties that are zoned for tourism. 

“We’d like to be able to have a little more flexibility. That's one of the things we just can’t do based on the current situation,” Ellis said.

Getting to Jewfish Key also has proved difficult for some homeowners, according to Ellis. 

When people want to get to Jewfish Key, it’s not possible to park in the Village because of parking regulations. Ellis said some have to rely on their creativity or own a slip or separate property elsewhere. 

“We’re a totally independent island,” Ellis said. “I don’t know that (the town) has been able to make life on the island easy for us.”

Overall, Ellis said the Jewfish Key owners want to pose the question to see what makes the most sense, both in terms of their financial contribution for services received, as well as flexibility in regulations. 

“I think those are reasonable questions to ask,” Ellis said. “And I don’t know that they’ve been asked before.”

What’s next?

The Jewfish Key Preservation Association, Inc. acts as the homeowners association for the island. A petition to consider de-annexation required over 15% qualified voters on Jewfish Key to sign. 

Florida Statutes Chapter 171 Section 51 states that now the town must undergo a feasibility study. Section 52 of the same chapter states areas that do not meet the criteria for annexation may be proposed for contraction. 

The results of the study must be evaluated within six months of the petition receipt. The town is then able to look at the study and move forward with a contraction ordinance or reject the petition. 

The timeline means the commission will likely hear the results before the summer hiatus, possibly in June, according to Town Attorney Maggie Mooney. 

If the town were to propose a contraction ordinance and pass it, Jewfish Key would become a part of unincorporated Manatee County and would then be under the county’s jurisdiction.