The proposed annexation of the Sunnyside Fire District to the City of Douglas is in the final stages with a filing deadline of May 19. Over the last year, residents within the Sunnyside Fire District were given the chance to consider the benefits of being part of the City of Douglas incorporated limits. Some of the benefits of annexing are lower property tax rates than Cochise County, lower water and sewer rates, garbage pick-up service and police, fire, and EMT services being available 24/7.
Residents of the Sunnyside Fire District will have until 5 pm on May 18 to submit their signed petition to annex into the City of Douglas.
To sign the petition on the proposed annexation of the Sunnyside Fire District to the City of Douglas, email Annexation@douglasaz.gov, call (520)417-7303, or visit City Hall at 425 E 10th Street.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ANNEXATION
TAXES: Sunnyside Fire District residents will have property taxes decrease by annexing into the City of Douglas. The city estimates property taxes for the owner of a home with an assessed valuation of $50,000 will decrease by approximately $61.59 per year upon incorporation. This is because the fire district tax rate of 0.002391% is more than double the city tax rate of 0.0011591%. In addition, it is anticipated that property values will continue to rise over time due to the expanded municipal services that are offered by the City of Douglas, following infrastructure improvements and development.
For the latest tax information follow the link: www.cochise.az.gov/439/Tresurer
Here are a few scenarios:
Assessed Value Annual Savings
$5,000 $7.67
$10,000 $15.34
$50,000 $76.71
$75,000 $115.07
POLICE PROTECTION: City residents and businesses receive 24-hour police protection and law enforcement services from the Douglas Police Department. The average response time for priority-1 calls is under 5 minutes. Additional services, including House Watch Request, Increased Patrol Requests, and Ride Along Requests are also available.
FIRE PROTECTION: The Douglas Fire Department provides enhanced emergency and fire protection services. All Fire Department employees are Firefighter I and II certified. In addition, the department has an Insurance Services Organization (ISO) rating of 4X. An ISO fire insurance rating is a score from 1 to 10 that indicates how well-protected your community is by the fire department. A low ISO score for your area means your home is at a lower risk for serious fire damage. This translates to a lower homeowners insurance premium.
Cochise County Sheriff Office: responsible for 6,219 sq. miles, Patrols are not 24/7.
Douglas Police Department: responsible for 10 sq. miles, 24/7 patrols
WATER: The City of Douglas is currently serving the residents of Bay Acres with water service. However, if annexed, base residential sewer fees will drop from $32.02 to $25.00 per month while base residential water rates will decrease from $19.50 to $15.50 per month
SANITATION: The City’s Sanitation Division provides Douglas residents with twice-weekly trash pickup at a cost of $20/month. In addition, the city offers special pickups for the disposal of large items such as furniture, tree debris, and appliances. Special pickups can be arranged at a cost of $15 per pickup plus the cost of transfer station fees.
STREET MAINTENANCE: The City Street Division maintains all streets, curbs, sidewalks, stormwater facilities, street lighting, traffic control devices (traffic signals), graffiti abatement, signing, and striping within the City of Douglas limits utilizing staff and/or contract services.
BUILDING PERMITS & CODE ENFORCEMENT: Once a property is annexed into the city, development questions such as zoning or obtaining building permits may be directed to the Development Services Division. Building Safety is located within City Hall, which is located at 425 E 10th Street. Not only are the City’s building, development and right-of-way permits a short drive away, but they are typically lower in cost than similar Cochise County permits.
Original source can be found here.
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