A new push to incorporate Lehigh Acres

A push to incorporate Lehigh Acres is back on the table.

Becoming an incorporated city would allow them to have their own local government, which would relieve pressure on other cities and organizations who fill multiple roles for them.

Some people fear becoming its own city or municipality will mean higher taxes. For others, it’s as simple as not wanting to lose Lehigh’s quiet, small-town feel.

But Unite Lehigh, a non-profit founded by locals, is pushing the idea of incorporation to “better quality of life and controlling their own destiny.”

In other words, control of local government, police, zoning, utilities and trash.

Charlotte Rea Nicely, who is with Lehigh Community Services said that, incorporated or not, Lehigh Acres is dealing with a growing population and an increased need for services.

So something has got to change.

“We want to be able to offer more services,” Nicely said. “I’m not talking just Lehigh community services, but the other agencies in town and other organizations all want to be able to offer more services to our population, and it’s growing so fast. I mean, how do we tackle that? So, we all gotta put our heads together and figure it out.”

Unite Lehigh will host a town meeting in September to discuss the possibility of incorporation but with the purpose of educating the community about it.