County Parcels Being Considered for Annexation

Officials are moving ahead with a plan to annex sections of Santa Ana Heights and other pieces of county property along the city’s eastern boundary.

The acquisition area totals 330 acres roughly between 20th Street, Southeast Bristol Street, Santa Ana Avenue and Tustin Avenue. About 1,800 people live on the parcels, which include the Bay Knolls neighborhood, the Santa Ana Country Club and areas next to Kaiser Elementary School and Back Bay High School.

The City Council, which agreed to pursue annexation in 1995, is expected to hold public hearings on the matter as early as February, said Tamara Campbell, a senior city planner. The annexation territory would be divided into five zones and reviewed separately.

Most of the residential and commercial neighborhoods are surrounded by the city but remain under county domain. City Council members back the plan, because Costa Mesa often provides services to the county islands, such as fire and police, without compensation.

Matters less serious than police and fire emergencies also require city attention.

“When we are sweeping the streets, we don’t stop at the city boundary,” Campbell said.

Annexation would give Costa Mesa addresses to all residences and businesses, but officials say the areas, such as Santa Ana Heights, would not lose their sense of identity, in the way that Corona del Mar retains a sense of independence even though it is part of Newport Beach.

The council can approve annexation without an election, but residents can block the decision with signatures from 25% of the voters in the affected area. A special election can overturn the petitions with a majority vote.

Final approval for the annexation must come from the Local Agency Formation Commission.

Some residents of Bay Knolls and Santa Ana Heights opposed a public hearing on the matter in 1990, saying they would rather stay with the county or join Newport Beach.