Incorporation Timeline
Local residents' interest
Create a not-for-profit
organization 501(c)3Forming a board
Meeting and discussing incorporation
ProcessEvents planning
Fundraising
Fun things to do
Data reaserch
Feasibility
Attorneys or legal groupsLocal residents
Sign the petition
paper or electronicEducation process
Town hall meetings
Q&As
Seeking legal advice
Meeting with State Representatives
State levelNeed a good writer
Write a charter
15 to 20 pagesNo later than Sept 1st
Present Charter to State Officials
Beginning of legislation
Seeking state support
State Discuss at Legislation
State rep. will represent us.Moment of truth
State Rep. Vote on Charter, becomes a bill
All hands on deckSenate house your turn
Move to State Senate discussion and vote
State Senate Discussion
Moment of truth
The bill goes to the Governor's office
Here we goWe want those pens
Governor Sign the bill
Show me the signatureLehigh Acres residents
Goes on ballot
Get set, ready, go
The day has come
Residents vote for incorporation
Celebration.
Our first step to incorporation is to have a feasibility study completed so that we understand our tax base and what the expenses of running the City of Lehigh Acres will be.
A city charter will then be written that outlines the border and everything else regarding how the future city will operate.
We would also like to have a petition signed with 10,000 registered voters of Lehigh Acres that are in favor of incorporation.
This is everything that we need to have completed to turn into the State House Legislature by September 2025.
The incorporation application would then be discussed and voted on by State House of Representatives from September thru November.
From there it will then go to the State Senate to be discussed and voted on from December thru April.
Once it passes through both of those State Departments it will then go the Governor's desk to be signed.
From there it will be sent to the elections department to become part of the Ballot for the Fall 2026 Election.