Editor’s note: Orange County officials recently have been insisting that Sunset Beach and other unincorporated areas such as Rossmoor in its jurisdiction be annexed to neighboring cities to allievate the need for the county to provide services.
The Committee on Future Governance of Sunset Beach petition for the unincorporated area to become a city is being circulated, as required by Orange County’s Local Agency Formation Commission as part of the process of incorporating Sunset Beach as a new Orange County city.
LAFCO requires that a minimum of 25 percent of the registered voters in the community sign the petition. The committee’s goal is much higher to clearly state to County Supervisor John Moorlach and to LAFCO Sunset Beach’s involvement and support.
The Sunset Beach incorporation initiative will be put on a future ballot if the following criteria are met:
• If Sunset Beach is found to be financially feasible as a city.
• if Sunset Beach successfully fulfills the requirements and process of LAFCO.
Only then will the petitions be used to put the issue of Incorporation of Sunset Beach on a future ballot and voted on by registered voters of Sunset Beach.
By signing the petition, the registered voter acknowledges that they support the issues stated on the petition and understand:
1.   Sunset Beach, founded 105 years ago, desires to be an independent beach community to give more community control over land use, growth, planning policy and other governmental activities.
2.   Sunset Beach citizens want to maintain their vote to have a significant influence in determining their local affairs. They must ceate a politically accountable governing body (a city council) that is directly accessible, more visible and responsive to the needs of the community.
3.   Sunset Beach will have a utility tax to become a self-sustaining city.
The consultants hired to do an initial study on the financial viability of Sunset Beach becoming a city should have a finalized report within the next month. If Sunset Beach were to become a city, many of the services would continue to be contracted out and Sunset Beach would maintain local control over issues and governance.
There will be a petition drive at the Post Office parking lot Wednesday through Saturday, March 24-26.
The Neighborhood Network was established to help open the lines of communication within the Sunset community to help people understanding this complicated process and inform the community of events, updates and news. The Block Captains are establishing a phone tree to have open lines of communication within Sunset Beach.
Members of the Committee on Future Governance of Sunset Beach are also urging residents to participate in the 2010 Census as this is directly linked to future state and federal funding, policies and services for Sunset Beach.
An online petition has been created and signatures on the online petition can be from anyone who would like to have their voice heard. Anyone interested in the issue of incorporation may post their comments.
The on line petition is located at:
www.PetitionOnline.com/90742/petition.html
For more information, visit the Web site www.sunsetbeachca.org and click on Committee on Future Governance.
