The St. Cloud City Council voted 4-1 on Tuesday evening to annex three major residential communities into the city limits—Kings Crest, Edgewater, and Twin Lakes—adding nearly 1,000 acres and 1,448 housing units. Deputy Mayor Shawn Fletcher cast the sole dissenting vote.
The annexation formalizes a long-standing agreement between the city and the developers of the communities, who received city water and sewer services under the condition that the properties could be annexed once they became contiguous with city boundaries. Now adjacent to existing city limits, the communities met the legal threshold for annexation.
During the meeting, Council Member Kolby Urban addressed concerns from residents who opposed the annexation, many of whom said they were unaware of the encumbrance when purchasing their homes.
“If you live in the joint planning area, your property has the potential of being annexed into the city,” Urban said. “I made an oath to be fiscally responsible to the city.” Urban noted that disclosure of encumbrance agreements falls under the responsibility of developers and real estate agents—not the city.
To inform residents ahead of the decision, the City of St. Cloud hosted community meetings in March and posted detailed information about the annexation process on its website. The information outlines anticipated changes and benefits, including:
- Faster emergency services response times
- Access to a triple-accredited emergency dispatch center
- Accredited police and building departments
- Improved disaster recovery resources
- More accessible local government services
- Reduced fees for Parks & Recreation services
- Potential savings on homeowners insurance
- Elimination of the county EMS tax
While the benefits are notable, the annexation will result in a property tax increase. For a home with an average taxable value of $351,900, the net increase in the annual property tax bill is estimated at around $800.
St. Cloud Fire Chief Jason Miller emphasized the advantages in emergency response. He told the Council that St. Cloud Fire Rescue already responds to many calls in these communities, particularly in Twin Lakes, where the city handled roughly half of the 100 emergency calls over the past year.
“Our units are over a mile closer than their closest units,” Miller said. “That minute or two can make a difference.”
Miller added that St. Cloud either currently has or will soon have fire stations closer to these neighborhoods and noted that the city’s superior ISO rating could reduce homeowners insurance costs.
“We’re closer, we’re faster, we have highly trained personnel, and we’re already providing those services,” he said.
Mayor Chris Robertson echoed the public safety benefits. “We don’t skimp on public safety,” he said. “I do believe there are going to be a lot of benefits.”
In addition to the major annexation, Council approved two other voluntary annexations on Tuesday:
- A 28.6-acre parcel at U.S. 192 and Nova Road, which includes a comprehensive plan amendment and planned unit development.
- The annexation of the newly developed Marlowe Apartments, also located at U.S. 192 and Nova Road.
The annexations are part of the city’s broader strategy to manage growth and deliver services efficiently to its expanding population.
