HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-06-26 - AGENDA REPORTS - ANNEX POLICY (2)CONSENT CALENDAR
DATE:
SUBJECT:
DEPARTMENT:
Agenda Item: _G
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
City Manager Approval:
Item to be presented by:
June 26, 2007
Mayor McLean
ANNEXATION INITIATION POLICY
Community Development
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Continue consideration of the annexation initiation policy to the City Council meeting of
September 25, 2007.
BACKGROUND
At the City Council meeting of January 23, 2007 the City Council directed staff to begin
development of a new policy regarding the initiation of annexations, in particular, exploring
options to the current policy that requires residents to collect signatures from 60% of property
owners in order to request annexation. At the February 13, 2007 meeting, the City Council
directed staff to return with the revised policy for consideration at the following meeting.
The revised Annexation Initiation Policy was first agendized for Council discussion on February
27. Following public testimony, the Council postponed discussion of the item at the request of
members of the Castaic and West Ranch Town Councils. The Town Councils, which are
preparing studies on incorporation and annexation of the west side communities, desired more
time to complete the studies prior to the Council acting on the revised policy. The Town
Councils indicated completion of the studies would take about four months. The item was then
continued four months to the meeting of June 26, 2007.
On June 6, staff was provided a copy of the consultant proposal preparing the Annexation Fiscal
Analysis, dated April 25, 2007. The proposal has not yet been finalized. According to the
consultant timeline, once work on the study commences, it will take approximately 12-16 weeks
to prepare this study plus an additional 4-6 weeks to complete a subsequent Governance
Alternatives Comparison study, provided the County -funded Initial Feasibility Analysis
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regarding incorpration is also complete. Given this timeline, it is anticipated that the studies may
not be done before the end of calendar year 2007. Over the next t few months, staff should have
a better idea of when these studies will be complete. If they are not clearly underway by the City
Council meeting of September 25th, the Council may wish to move forward and modify the
annexation initiation policy at that time.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
1. Council may choose not t 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
NUMBER I-1 . 4
ORIGINAL ISSUE
CURRENT ISSUE
SUPERSEDES
EFFECTIVE 6/26/07
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 choose 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 S%o 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, June 26, 2007
Kenneth R. Pulskamp, City Manager
S:CD/ANNEX/Misc/CCAnnexationlnitiationPolicyJun07.doc