Garden Grove : New Protests Snag Effort to Annex 14-Acre Parcel

Just when the city thought it was safe to annex an island of county land, eight registered voters have emerged to complicate the effort.

The owner of an alcohol-rehabilitation facility on the property, west of Brookhurst Street between 11th and 13th streets, withdrew his objection to annexation of the 14-acre site, apparently clearing the way to proceed with $200,000 worth of public-works projects there. Under state law, if 25% or more of the property owners or registered voters in the target area protest annexation, a special election must be held.

Lee Johnson said he decided not to protest after county and city officials convinced him that the annexation would not interfere with any future expansion of St. Elizabeth Convalescent Hospital, at 3435 W. Ball Road. “I think the end result will be an improvement,” he said, adding that he doesn’t plan to expand the facility soon.

City officials’ relief soon vanished, however, when they learned that eight of the 28 registered voters living in the proposed annex had sent letters of protest to the city. The decision on whether to hold an election or postpone the often-delayed issue again is to be made at Monday’s City Council meeting.

If the annexation goes through, said senior planner Jerry Blum, the Local Agency Formation Commission and the county Board of Supervisors must also approve it. The change would become official about two weeks later, he said.

A spokesman for Supervisor Roger Stanton said the county has already agreed to finance $90,000 of the $200,000 in improvements if the parcel is annexed. These include road construction and installation of a larger water line. The city will pay about $35,000, Blum said, and the rest will come from assessment of new development.