Laguna Beach : Old Top of the World Sewer Plans on Agenda

Plans for sewers for Old Top of the World, a collection of about 80 houses on unincorporated land just outside the city limits, are on the agenda for tonight’s City Council meeting.

The houses “are in desperate need of sewers,” said Rob Clark, assistant to the city manager, because septic tanks there are overflowing and posing a health problem.

Homeowners in the area voted to form an assessment district to pay for hooking up to Laguna Beach’s sewer system, which is the isolated community’s only economically feasible alternative to the overflowing tanks.

For years the city, which already provides fire and police services to the area, has wanted to annex it, and thereby gain about $25,000 in annual property tax revenues.

The city has agreed to use tax money for the initial construction costs of the sewer extension project, about $116,000, if Old Top of the World annexes to it. If it does not annex, then the assessment district would pay for the entire project.

The council is expected tonight to appropriate money to begin the project and adopt a resolution initiating annexation proceedings.