Incorporation is often touted as the only way for a community to gain control over local services, planning, and infrastructure. But Lehigh Acres already has another path. By expanding LAMSID, we can build sidewalks, install streetlights, manage utilities, and more—without the burdensome taxes, overhead, or broad powers that come with becoming a city. This page explains how LAMSID is a more focused, practical alternative to full incorporation: one that gives residents real control over essential services, while preserving affordability and local priorities.
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Pros
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Pros
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Cons
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Cons
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The main question is: what is incorporation intended to accomplish? If the goal is to address infrastructure that was never built by the developer, then LAMSID already has all the necessary tools. It can build sidewalks, install streetlights, provide water and sewer, and even take on future planning questions—which is really the extra piece here.
Everything except planning makes LAMSID essentially the same as a community development district (CDD). A CDD handles infrastructure needs but leaves the more difficult planning questions with the county or city, depending on location. For LAMSID to exercise its powers—such as adding streetlights, sidewalks, or utilities—the steps are straightforward:
The planning authority is a more complex issue. It’s an open question whether the county would agree to share that power. Still, it’s not inconceivable that once LAMSID and Lehigh demonstrate a strong track record with infrastructure responsibilities, they could eventually serve as the community planning panel instead of relying on the previously appointed panel.
When comparing LAMSID’s authority to incorporation, the real question becomes: what does incorporation achieve that LAMSID cannot? A city government holds extraordinarily broad powers—but those powers also come with much higher taxes. The key question is whether Lehigh Acres truly needs all those city powers to address the concerns citizens have identified. Clearly, residents see sidewalks, streetlights, and utilities as issues that need attention.
It’s important to remember that LAMSID already has powers over drainage, stormwater, roads, and parks. So the issue is: what additional benefits would incorporation bring? From my perspective, the answer is “nothing.” That doesn’t mean there aren’t advocates who want incorporation for broader goals, but based on what WE hear from the public, there is little interest in pursuing things like subsidizing economic development.
Many people move to Lehigh because it offers the lowest cost of living in the county. Trying to transform Lehigh into a higher-cost community would likely conflict with what residents and property owners actually want. For this reason, WE believe that LAMSID—with its full suite of powers—represents a balanced middle ground. It can satisfy those property owners who prefer minimal taxes and services, while also providing essential public services that address the community’s most pressing needs.
LEARN MORE ABOUT LAMSID at www.la-msid.com