South County : Aegean Hills Petition Collects 532 Signatures

An Aegean Hills residents’ group seeking to be annexed to the neighboring Mission Viejo Community Services District has gathered 532 signatures favoring the plan, 179 more than needed to force a public hearing, a spokesman said Monday.

Bob Curtis, an attorney who is spearheading the south county community’s drive, said he turned over the annexation petitions Monday to the county’s Local Agency Formation Commission, which must approve the proposed annexation before the Board of Supervisors considers it.

If the signatures are verified by the Registrar of Voters, the commission could hear the matter at its Nov. 5 meeting, said Jim Colangelo, assistant executive officer for the LAFC.

Curtis said the annexation is necessary to maintain basic community services at current levels without having to pay assessments, as they will have to do this year under county jurisdiction.

By joining the Mission Viejo services district, the community would keep about $220,000 in property taxes that otherwise would go into county coffers, Curtis said.

The Aegean Hills Homeowners Assn., which has represented the community before the Board of Supervisors on local issues, opposes annexation to Mission Viejo. Association leaders say the larger Mission Viejo community would dominate Aegean Hills and not look after its interests.

The Aegean Hills community is northwest of La Paz Road, between Interstate 5 and Mission Viejo.