LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — A non-profit called Unite Lehigh held a town hall meeting on Tuesday night to discuss the potential incorporation of Lehigh Acres.

There are currently over 120,000 people who live in Lehigh Acres. Over 100 residents from Lehigh attended the meeting. Many of them were very passionate and had a lot of questions to ask.

“We had about 3 minutes to ask questions but they kept running their mouth because they want it incorporated,” said Kinsey Winston. “I don’t want it incorporated! And I bet you 3 quarters of the people here don’t want to either.”

Unite Lehigh said the goal of the meeting was for everyone to come together and think about what they can do to make Lehigh Acres better.

“We don’t want to live in a city, that’s why we live in Lehigh!” one resident shouted.

“Can you please stop interrupting so we can hear what he’s gonna say!” another resident yelled.

The group said incorporating needs to happen to keep up with rapid growth.  

The organization wants to turn the unincorporated area into a city to give residents more control over code and law enforcement.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Residents pushing to incorporate Lehigh Acres

“If we incorporate we have the right to ask for more police officers, we don’t have to have our own police department,” Alain Capucci from Unite Lehigh said. “Last week someone dumped chairs on the street… we live on trash, we need more control of this! They have one or two deputies over here.”

The group believes having a local government would better fix roads, streetlights, sidewalks and help Lehigh’s economy in the long run.

“Your tax money not only goes to Lehigh but also Fort Myers and Cape Coral. We want to take charge of that,” said Capucci.

The Unite Lehigh group said that in order for Lehigh Acres to become incorporated there would first have to be a feasibility study.

The goal of that study would be to find out if incorporating would lower their taxes or improve their services.

Larry Gregory is a resident who attended the meeting.

“I think they’re just worried that the taxes are going to go up and everything and then if we never can progress… then Lehigh will always be — you know, second class because we don’t have control of our own destiny!” he said.

That feasibility study costs $65,000 and wouldn’t start until 2024.

“I wanna wait till the feasibility study, you know — I’m waiting to see if it brings us more stuff — I’m for it!.” William Roseberry said.

If incorporating is found to be favorable, the governor would have to sign the bill. Then Lehigh Acres residents would vote on it the following year.

Unite Lehigh’s target date is 2026.

“I am not sure I’m for incorporating because I don’t wanna be like Cape Coral!” Ann DeWitt said.

Unite Lehigh said this was just the first meeting on this. So if you were unable to make it Tuesday or have more questions, don’t worry — there will be many more in the future.