Relating to territory in an emergency services district that is annexed by a municipality.

Contracts

• Private EMS & Fire Providers: Review "Territory Reduction" and "Change of Law" clauses. Existing contracts likely assume automatic service area reduction (and revenue loss) upon city annexation. You must amend agreements to reflect that territory—and revenue—may be retained pending arbitration.
• Developers: Development Agreements (Chapter 212) must now account for the possibility that the City cannot legally deliver fire/EMS services immediately upon annexation. Indemnity clauses regarding "failure to serve" need revision.

Hiring/Training

• City Planning & Legal Staff: Must be trained on the strict notification protocol. Failure to send notice via Certified Mail to the ESD Secretary creates a procedural defect that can void the territory transfer.
• ESD Administrators: Must be trained on the "30-Day Trap." Staff must monitor incoming mail for municipal notices daily. Failure to issue a counter-resolution within 30 days results in automatic approval of the disannexation.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Level of Service Data: Both Cities and ESDs must maintain real-time data on three statutory metrics: (1) Resource Location, (2) Resource Deployment, and (3) Response Times. This data is the only admissible evidence in a dispute.
• Appraisal District Notification: ESDs must implement a workflow to immediately notify the County Appraisal District upon the finalization of a disannexation to prevent incorrect tax levies.

Fees & Costs

• Arbitration Expenses: If a City disputes an ESD's refusal to release territory, the law mandates binding arbitration. Legal budgets must account for Section 775.0221 arbitration proceedings, which will likely involve expensive expert testimony regarding response time modeling.
• Insurance Premiums: Property owners must verify the "Authority Having Jurisdiction" (AHJ). If the ESD retains the territory, the ESD's ISO rating applies. If the City takes over, the City's rating applies. A change in provider can materially alter commercial insurance costs.