Earlier this year, by some informal and clearly unofficial measures, the people of unincorporated Sunset Beach wanted to join the City of Seal Beach. The folks of Sunset Beach were pushed toward Seal Beach because of a looming threat they would be forced against their will to join Huntington Beach. Seal Beach said resoundingly, no thanks. Now, some of the residents of the Island Village portion of the City of Long Beach are contemplating switching their allegiance a bit easterly and joining up with Seal Beach. In the not too distant past, the 12,000 residents of unincorporated Rossmoor also wanted to join Seal beach. Again the answer was no thanks from Seal Beach.
Having said no to both Rossmoor and Sunset Beach, the Seal Beach City Council last night considered their position on possible inclusion of Island Village in the hallowed boundaries of Seal Beach. In at least one respect, this 182 home gated community is the opposite of Sunset Beach. Sunset Beach is nearly encircled by Huntington Beach, but many residents did not want to join their encircling city. On the other hand, Island Village is almost completely surrounded by Seal Beach and some residents think that would be a better place for their City Hall.
The bigger issue, however, is the Orange County/Los Angeles County line. According to Carolyn Emery, Senior Project Manager with the Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission, otherwise known as LAFCO, there is some interest in redrawing the county border. The physical dividing point between the two counties is the San Gabriel River channel, but that does not conform with the legal county line. This means that some areas east of the channel are legally part of Los Angeles County, even though they are accessed and more easily serviced from the Orange County side.
Changing the county line is a matter for both boards of supervisors and LAFCO would not be the deciding agency. However, According to Emery, determining what to do with any land which might move from Los Angeles to Orange County as a result of moving the county line, does fall into LAFCO's jurisdiction. Emery indicated that Orange County is opposed to creating more unincorporated areas within Orange County and this is what could happen if the county line was moved.
If Seal Beach wanted Island Village and the county line was moved by the supervisors, LAFCO would have unilateral authority to cause incorporation, regardless of the wishes of the residents. The Orange County Board of Supervisors would not approve moving the county line unless there was a city lined up and ready to incorporate the incoming parcels. If both boards of supervisors decided to move the line, the City of Long Beach would not have a vote either. According to Emery, a city cannot be divided between two counties. Thus, if the line was moved, Island Village would automatically leave the City of Long Beach. If Seal Beach did not agree to accept them, the community would be unincorporated. Orange County is not likely to let this happen.
It appears, from the position of Los Angeles County Supervisor Knabe, that any proposed change in the county line would not include a change for Island Village. The Seal Beach staff report to the city council begins with the following: "At this time the only area that may be considered, based on the position of Supervisor Knabe, is in relation to the proposed boundary adjustments between Long Beach and Seal Beach in the very limited area southerly of the Marina Drive Bridge." This area does not include Island Village.
But, Supervisor Knabe's reported reluctance to endorse a transfer of Island Village to Seal Beach, sounded more like just another hurdle to overcome, rather than an insurmountable barrier to the residents involved. About 10 residents from Island Village attended the city council meeting last night. In pitching their case to join Seal Beach, they sounded very much like the people from Sunset Beach.
The possible annexation of Island Village is not nearly as far along as the consideration of annexation of Sunset Beach was when the Seal Beach city council gave them a thumbs down. The representatives of Island Village were not asking the city council for an annexation commitment, but just some indication that they were not steadfastly opposed to considering it.
After some questions from city council members and statements of opposition from Seal Beach residents, the council voted to authorize a letter expressing an openness to consideration of an annexation. At this early stage in the process, no financial impact analysis has been prepared for either the residents or the City of Seal Beach. The city's letter will indicate that their openness to consideration of annexation is dependant on the completion of a positive financial impact study.
A letter of this nature is what the Island Village residents were looking for. They indicated they need some positive inclination from Seal Beach in order to move Los Angeles County and the City of Long Beach toward the change. Despite the vocal objections of some Seal Beach residents, the Island Village people got what they were looking for. Whether this will move an apparently reluctant Los Angeles County toward a transfer of Island Village to Orange County, remains to be seen, but, the third time could be a charm for Island Village.
