The annexation of Rossmoor’s 14.5-acre commercial district will be the subject of a Los Alamitos Planning Commission public hearing at 7 p.m., Monday, Aug. 22.
The Rossmoor Community Services District received a copy of the notice on Thursday, Aug. 11.
“Despite many printed and oral statements to the contrary, it is quite clear that the city of Los Alamitos is on course to annex the sole sales tax-producing area in the community of Rossmoor,” said an unsigned press release issued by the RCSD board.
The commercial district, known as the Rossmoor Shopping Village or the “fourth corner,” generates $300,000 to $450,000 a year in sales revenue, according to a July staff report to the RCSD by General Manager Henry Taboada.
The Los Alamitos City Council recently voted to include the commercial area in Los Alamitos’ general plan.
If the City Council votes to annex the 14.5-acre business district, Rossmoor residents won’t get a vote. By state law, areas less than 150 acres in size have no vote in annexation issues.
The unincorporated community of Rossmoor is covers 988.36 acres, according to the Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission. Residents would get a vote if the entire community of Rossmoor were the subject of an annexation effort. Such a merger would roughly double Los Alamitos’ population while adding little additional revenue.
The Local Agency Formation Commission has been trying to merge Rossmoor into Los Alamitos for years. The commission is implementing a policy of the Board of Supervisors to move unincorporated “county islands” into nearby cities.
As a result of this effort, some Rossmoor residents attempted to make the community an independent city. Rossmoor residents overwhelmingly rejected cityhood in 2008.
In recent months, Rossmoor Community Services District board members have sought “latent powers,” the legal authority to hire police, animal control and fire services.
The Local Agency Formation Commission would have to approve such a request.
A poll launched in March indicated most Rossmoor residents would prefer for things to remain as they are, with Rossmoor remaining an unincorporated community.
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