TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution objecting to the transfer of the Rancho Dominguez Sphere of Influence area from Long Beach to Carson. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Los Angeles County's Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) recently released its first Draft Municipal Services Review (DMSR) for the Gateway Cities area. LAFCO, a State agency, is required to perform municipal service reviews every five years, or prior to updating an agency's Sphere of Influence (SOl) boundary. SOl areas are unincorporated county lands that can be annexed into a City.
Long Beach has two remaining SOl areas. One, on the eastside of the City at Woodruff Avenue and Conant Street, consisting of 94 acres largely developed with residences, is an island of county land completely surrounded by Long Beach. This 94 acres was the subject of discussion earlier this year when a multi-family project was proposed for development. Planning staff has prepared a preliminary comparison of the costs of services for residents of this area. The City's other SOl area is 640 acres of fully developed industrial park acreage, known as (a part of) Rancho Dominguez, located northwest of the City between the 1-710 Freeway, Alameda Street, Del Amo Boulevard and Victoria Street. Los Angeles County typically provides all public services to the Rancho Dominguez SOL However, the City of Long Beach currently provides additional Fire contract services to the County for Rancho Dominguez.
The LAFCO DMSR recommends that the Rancho Dominguez SOl area be taken out of the City of Long Beach's SOl and placed in the City of Carson's SOL The City of Long Beach opposes this recommendation. The area is prime industrial land with future jobproviding potential. Further, there is no justifiable reason presented to support the SOl change. The DMSR is out for public review and comment.
A letter detailing the City's concerns with the DMSR report was given to LAFCO on October 18, 2005. The Long Beach Planning and Building Department also voiced the City's concerns and objections to the proposed SOl change at the LAFCO Public Workshop in Paramount on October 18.
The City's letter to Los Angeles County LAFCO is attached.
The next step is for LAFCO to finalize the DMSR and present it to the full LAFCO Board at a public hearing to be held on December 14, 2005. The City will receive the final recommendations of the DMSR from LAFCO prior to this date, and City staff will attend the hearing.
Ultimately, the City would like this portion of Rancho Dominguez to remain in its SOl and to begin the annexation process.
Deputy City Attorney Lisa Peskay Malmsten and Budget Management Officer David Wodynski reviewed this item on November 3, 2005.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council review and discussion of this report is requested on November 15, 2005, as the 2005 LAFCO hearing is scheduled for December 14, 2005.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report; however, should this SOl area be shifted to Carson's jurisdiction the City would not be able to annex it in the future.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH OBJECTING TO THE DELETION OF THE RANCHO DOMINGUEZ AREA FROM THE CITY OF LONG BEACH SPHERE OF INFLUENCE
Respectfully Submitted,
SUZANNE FRICK
DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND BUILDING