HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-02-27 - AGENDA REPORTS - ANNEX INITIATION POLICY (2)BUSINESS
DATE:
SUBJECT:
DEPARTMENT:
Agenda Item: /
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
City Manager Approval:
Item to be presented by: Mayor McLean
February 27, 2007
ANNEXATION INITIATION POLICY
Community Development
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council provide direction on the Annexation Initiation Policy.
BACKGROUND
At the City Council meeting on January 23, the Council directed staff to begin development of a
new policy regarding the initiation of annexations that would lower the 60% threshold. At the
request of Mayor McLean at the February 13 meeting, the Council directed staff to prepare the
policy for consideration at this meeting.
The City has a policy that requires communities which wish to annex to collect signatures in
support of annexation from 60% of the residents of that community. This policy was established
for the sole purpose of identifying that adequate support exists within a community to ensure the
successful completion of the annexation before the city devotes the time and resources to
pursuing it. This policy is strictly a City policy and is not mandated by State or any other law.
The 60% policy can be difficult to achieve in larger communities containing thousands of
residents. At a meeting with staff regarding the potential annexation of Castaic, a Castaic Area
Town Council member indicated that collecting signatures from 60% of the thousands of Castaic
residents would be daunting, if not impossible, and requested that alternatives to the 60%
requirement be explored. In addition, requiring 60% may be excessive in determining overall
support. For example, the large Northpark annexation that was recently completed contained
about 6,000 residents, none of whom protested the annexation. Signatures from less than 60% of
the residents would not have changed the outcome of that annexation.
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ANALYSIS
The policy is attached. Pursuant to direction given by Council at the February 13 meeting, the
policy:
Lowers the threshold from 60% to a majority of residents; and
Contains a provision that if 5% of registered voters in a community seek annexation, the
City will survey the community to determine the level of support for annexation. If a
majority of responding residents and/or property owners support annexation, the City
may then choose to pursue annexation.
The policy also contains a provision that allows for the City to pursue an annexation at any time
if there are overriding circumstances.
The 5% threshold is identical to that found in the Cortese -Knox -Hertzberg Local Government
Reorganization Act of 2000, the State law regulating annexations. Cortese -Knox requires that
for a neighborhood or community initiated annexation to be pursued with LAFCO, 5% of the
registered voters must sign a petition to initiate the process. Under this new policy, one of the
criteria that may trigger the City to initiate annexation proceedings would be a petition containing
signatures from 5% of the registered voters in the area seeking to annex.
Similar to the existing policy, this new policy will continue to ensure that there is adequate
support within the community to result in a successful annexation.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
1. Council may choose not to adopt the policy.
2. Other direction as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
This policy will result in no fiscal impact
ATTACHMENTS
Annexation Initiation Policy
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA I POLICY/PROCEDURE I
NUMBER I-14
ORIGINAL ISSUE
CURRENT ISSUE
EFFECTIVE 2/27/07
EFFECTIVE
RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT: Community Develop.
PURPOSE
SUBJECT
Annexation Initiation Policy
CATEGORY
Legislative Relations
STANDARD MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE
The City of Santa Clarita has developed the following policy in an effort to establish the circumstances in
which the City may pursue a request for an annexation. The policy establishes basic criteria for
communities who wish to request annexation.
POLICY
1. The City may chose to pursue annexation at the written request of a majority of residents and/or
property owners within the community seeking annexation.
If a community seeking annexation is served by a Town Council the City will encourage the
community to advise the Town Council of the community's intentions.
2. At the written request of 5% of registered voters within a community seeking annexation, the City will
survey the community to determine the overall level of support for annexation. If the survey
determines that a majority of responding residents and/or property owners supports annexation, the
City may choose to pursue the annexation.
If a community seeking annexation is served by a Town Council, the City will encourage the
community to advise the Town Council of the community's intentions.
3. Overriding Circumstances — The City may pursue either a sphere of influence amendment and/or
annexation without a written request if the City determines that there are overriding circumstances that
are deemed to be of benefit to the health, safety, general welfare or economic well-being of the citizens
of Santa Clarita or are a significant public benefit to the citizens of the City, which could include, but is
not limited to: the protection or acquisition of open space; development of active parkland; provision
of road connections and regional transportation corridors; development review control to ensure that
the visual and environmental resources of the area are preserved; promotion of an innovative land use;
the protection of sensitive and endangered plant and/or animal species; or acquisition of a strategically -
located area that advances City objectives.
EXCEPTION
Exceptions to this policy may be authorized by the City Manager or designee.
AUTHORITY
Adopted by the City Council Tuesday, February 27, 2007.
Kenneth R. Pulskamp, City Manager