The Los Alamitos Planning Commission will give consideration to hosting community meetings considering boundaries adjacent to Coyote Creek after a city council decision Dec. 21.
The decision came as a result of a Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) study citing inconsistent boundaries adajacent to Coyote Creek affecting Los Alamitos, Seal Beach and Long Beach.
The report noted three areas between Long Beach and Los Alamitos as confusing regarding delivery of services, residential development and individual land parcels split between the two cities and subsequently two counties.
Area 1 is located in the City of Long Beach adjacent to seven residential parcels and Stansbury Park in Los Alamitos off Cerritos Avenue. The City is proposing adjusting the boundary to make the area part of Los Alamitos.
Area 2 involves residences adjacent to the northernmost part in Los Alamitos. It currently is in Long Beach east of the flood control channel. Access to the neighborhood is gained by going through Los Alamitos and Cypress.
The adjustment would result in an increase of 192 housing units and 522 residents, according to a staff report.
Area 3 has three sub areas including multi and single family residences located in Los Alamitos. Present boundaries split the multi-family development between the two cities.
On Oct. 12, the Long Beach City Council had a study session and expressed an interest in supporting Area 1 to move to Los Alamitos, Area 2 to remain in Long Beach and Area 3 to be absorbed into Long Beach.
Los Alamitos had yet to provide input regarding the issue.
Community Development Director Steven Mendoza said that due to the number of property owners impacted, it is appropriate for the issue to be discussed through the Planning Commission to gauge public opinion.
The commission should then review and consider the information and provide a recommendation to the Council.
“We need to try and get public opinion because this will affect some people and the services they received and such,” Mendoza said. “We don’t want the public to have the position ‘you didn’t ask us.’”
Council member Gerri Mejia suggested having two meetings, one to have the Los Alamitos residents express their opinion and another with Long Beach residents.
Council member Troy Edgar said he was glad to see the city take a position on this but said a clear strategy was needed for Los Alamitos. “I want to make sure we’re not over-influenced by Long Beach in any decision,” Edgar said.
For a boundary change to occur, the council will eventually need to adopt a resolution informing the Orange County Board of Supervisors of the intent to begin the process, a staff report stated. The LAFCO Board would have to adopt its own resolution and send the matter to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors which would set a hearing date within 30 days.
A joint meeting of both boards would have to take place.
Should the project move forward, the formation commissions of both counties would work out details, such as how services would be provided to residents before getting final approval from the cities.
