There are three main ways an unincorporated property can be annexed into a municipality: Voluntary Annexation, Enclave Annexation, or Referendum Annexation.
Voluntary Annexation occurs when a property owner submits a petition to join a municipality. If the municipality agrees, it passes a municipal ordinance that annexes the area. To be eligible for voluntary annexation, the property must be next to the annexing municipality.
Enclave Annexations are initiated by a municipality and adopted subject to an interlocal agreement between the county and the municipality. An enclave is any unincorporated area that may only be accessed through a municipality.
Referendum Annexations are initiated by a municipality and must be approved by residents in the impact area as part of a ballot referendum. If a majority of voters pass the referendum, the area is annexed. If a majority of voters reject the referendum, the area remains unincorporated.
All registered voters in the proposed annexation area are eligible to vote. If you own property within the proposed annexation area, but are not a registered voter there, you are not eligible to vote on the referendum.
In most cases, it is difficult and sometimes impossible to de-annex property. Florida Statues requires that specific criteria be met for a de-annexation to be considered. A de-annexation request must be submitted to the municipality.
Section 504 of the Orange County Charter requires any annexation request, outside of a Joint Planning Area Boundary, to go before the Orange County Board of County Commissioners for a public hearing. Additionally, it requires the annexing property to enter into an Interlocal Agreement with the County. Finally, if a property is located within the Rural Area, a request for annexation would require a majority plus one vote of the Board. If approved, the property would be required to enter into an Interlocal Agreement, governed by the County’s Comprehensive Plan and land development regulations.
If a property is located within a Joint Planning Area Boundary, the above does not apply.
A quick and easy way is to look at the street signs. If your street sign has an Orange on it, you live in unincorporated Orange County. Other municipalities have similar signage, a peacock for Winter Park, Lake Eola Fountain for Orlando. For certainty, check the property appraiser site which has this information for your property.