TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution supporting the retention of the City's existing Sphere of Influence (SOI) area, and the addition of a Joint Long Beach-Compton SOI area, and instruct the Director of Planning and Building to submit this resolution to the Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
In September of 2005, the Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission (LA AFCO)
released its first Draft Municipal Service Reviews (DMSR) for the Gateway Cities communities. Municipal Service Reviews are a new tool being used by LAFCO's (State agencies) to determine whether or not a local jurisdiction can adequately provide municipal services to an adjacent unincorporated county area. If a positive finding is made, a Sphere of Influence (Sol) is assigned to
the adjacent city. That city could then apply for an annexation of that area. The DMSR recommended that 640 acres of industrial land in the Rancho Dominguez SO1 area, that has been
assigned to the City of Long Beach since1973, be reassigned to the City of Carson (map attached).
On October 18, 2005, the Department of Planning and Building voiced the City's objection to the
DMSR recommendationrat the LA LAFCO public workshop in Paramount and submitted a letter to
the Executive Officer detailing the City's concerns and specifying errors and omissions in the DMSR report. This action was reinforced on November 15,2005, when the City Council reviewed staffs report and unanimously supported submitting a resolution to LA LAFCO objecting to the
reassignment of this portion of the Rancho Dominguez SO1 area.
After meeting with City of Long Beach representatives and considering the information submitted,
LA LAFCO staff revised the Municipal Services Review. The revised recommendation calls for the
City of Long Beach to maintain its current SO1 for the eastern portion of Rancho Dominguez, and
also be assigned a new joint City of Long Beach - City of Compton SO1 for a portion of the Rancho Dominguez area that is currently assigned to the City of Compton.
This additional SO1 area consists of approximately 230 industrially developed acres located
immediately adjacent to the current City of Long Beach SO1 area, and is located east of Alameda
Street between Susana Road and the 1-91 Artesia Freeway. The Department of Planning and
Building looks favorably upon having either sole or joint assignment of this additional SO1 area
along with the City of Compton. The assignment of a Joint SO1 essentially means that the LA
LAFCO Board will accept annexation applications from either city for consideration.
On December 14,2005, the LA LAFCO Board held a public hearing to review the DMSR and each
of the recommendations contained therein for all SO1 areas in the Gateway Cities communities. At
that hearing, Councilmember Bonnie Lowenthal provided public testimony supporting the LA
LAFCO staff recommendation and objecting to the reassignment or sharing of these 640 SO1 acres to the City of Carson. Testimony was then provided by Mayor Jim Dear of the City of Carson.
During his testimony, Mayor Dear argued that the entire Rancho Dominguez area should be within
Carson's Sol, due to the historic and geographic ties. As a possible alternative, Mayor Dear has
also discussed placing the area in a joint City of Carson - City ofLong Beach Sol, thereby allowing
each city to file for competing annexation applications.
Representatives from the Cities of Compton and Carson requested a continuance in order to have
more time to consider the revised staff recommendation. After considering public testimony, LA
LAFCO voted to continue the matter until their meeting of February 22,2006, and asked the cities
involved to obtain a definitive decision on the LA LAFCO staff recommendation. Hence, the
Department of Planning and Building is now recommending that the Long Beach City Council adopt a resolution supporting the retention of our current SO1 area and the expansion of the SO1 area (as depicted on the attached map), whether it be in our sole jurisdiction or as a joint SO1 with the City of Compton, consistent with the LA LAFCO staff recommendation. The Department of Planning and Building does not support placing any areas in a joint SO1 with the City of Carson, as it is contrary to the direction previously provided by the City Council and simply puts off a decision by LA LAFCO on this matter.
Assistant City Attorney Michael Mais reviewed this item on January 24, 2006.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council review and discussion of this report is requested. on February 7, 2006, in order to
submit this resolution to LA LAFCO prior to its hearing on February 22, 2006.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH SUPPORTING AND URGING THE RETENTION OF THE CITY'S EXISTING SPHERE OF INFLUENCE (S0I)'AREA LOCATED EAST OF ALAMEDA STREET BETWEEN DEL AM0 BOULEVARD AND VICTORIA
STREET, AND AN ADDITION TO THE CITY'S EXISTING SPHERE OF INFLUENCE IN REGARD TO AN AREA LOCATED EAST OF ALAMEDA STREET BETWEEN VICTORIA STREET AND THE 1-91 ARTESIA FREEWAY; AND INSTRUCTING THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND
BUILDING TO SUBMIT THIS RESOLUTION TO THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION (LAFCO)
Respectfully Submitted,
DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND BUILDING
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GERALD R. MILLER |
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CITY MANGER |