Council to consider new land annexation ordinance

March 23, 2005
Santa Paula City Council

The City Council was poised to reconsider a new ordinance to process land annexations to the city at Monday’s meeting, an issue that was highly contentious in the late 1990s.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe City Council was poised to reconsider a new ordinance to process land annexations to the city at Monday’s meeting, an issue that was highly contentious in the late 1990s. In fact, a 1999 moratorium placed on annexations – the process where land outside city limits is brought into the municipal fold - had never been lifted.With new development looming, the council was asked to consider the new ordinance, which would ensure that all annexations would be cost recovering, i.e. not cost the city for infrastructure or services. City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz said that not only would the now-six year old moratorium be lifted, but the ordinance would also set new regulations for annexations. Potential annexations abound including so-called islands under five acres scattered throughout the city and on the edges of Santa Paula’s limits.Mayor Mary Ann Krause said one aspect of the new ordinance that she found troubling is the financial analysis, and what could be done if such a study is later found to be inaccurate. City Attorney Karl Berger noted that that annexations under five acres would not be subject to a financial analysis.Annexing property for a school might skirt many financial requirements, said Krause. Public facilities are covered in the new ordinance, noted Berger, although there might be some cost versus revenue circumstances.“As we stand now, LAFCO is asking us to absorb some of these islands like Holly Drive,” said Vice Mayor Rick Cook, who expressed concerns of property owner costs for analysis. Bobkiewicz said that court rulings have banned excessive fees for annexation studies.
“I was privy to one of them, the city said they had to pay $50,000” for a financial analysis and assorted fees noted Cook. “If we’re the ones forcing the issue” of annexation, property owners should not have to pay, Cook added. “What if they have 5.3 acres?” slightly above the proposed ordinances cutoff for impact analysis.Striking a balance is what LAFCO requested, noted Bobkiewicz, and the council could fine-tune the parameters of the ordinance. The ordinance would “keep us away from large sums” and prevent those that are “over and above” standard costs, he added.Planning Director Janna Minsk noted that three pending island annexations are exempt from the ordinance and “We wanted to get them through….”Bobkiewicz said that island property owners, unless they initiate an annexation and the property is more than five acres, would be exempt from costs other than the installation of water or sewage services. Many islands throughout the city have such city services.In the late 1990s, a battle erupted when a resident of the Oaks attempted to annex the ranch property next to city limits. The owner was told that a specific plan for future development, lot splits and other city studies must be done before the 19-acre property could be considered for annexation.



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