LAFCO Hears Suggestion to Form 2 Large Cities Instead of Small Ones

The county agency that handles cityhood matters was told Wednesday that southern Orange County’s remaining frontier might be better suited to become two big cities, separated by Interstate 5, instead of several little ones.

The suggestion by Joan Golding, manager of advanced planning for the county’s Environmental Management Agency, was among 20 presentations by leaders of cities and communities in southern Orange County to the Local Agency Formation Commission.

The representatives told LAFCO of their intentions for possible spheres of influence, annexations and incorporations at a 2 1/2-hour study session that was designed to prepare the commissioners for upcoming decisions on several proposals.

LAFCO is the county agency that decides such matters.

Commission Chairman Donald A. Holt said Golding’s presentation was the most informative because it was the first time the commissioners had sought county planners’ opinions since an onslaught of incorporation proposals began two years ago.

“What the commission has to do now is move ahead in a positive manner and make decisions on these proposals,” Holt said.

Richard Turner, LAFCO executive officer, told the commissioners that in the past 16 months they have considered incorporation proposals covering 63 square miles and 190,000 people in the southern part of the county.

Turner said Mission Viejo became a city two weeks ago, a Dana Point incorporation election is set for June 7 and there are three cityhood proposals still to be considered in Saddleback Valley, Laguna Niguel and Laguna Hills.

After the meeting, Golding said it was the first time she had been asked to speak on the subject of cities in southern Orange County.

“In the county’s role as provider of regional services and facilities, we want to try to ensure in the future that we maximize communication in the area,” Golding said. She noted that there are problems in central and north county where several small cities have a difficult time interacting on such regional problems as traffic and pollution.

Golding told LAFCO that the most efficient way to create two more large cities in the southern part of the county would be to use Interstate 5 as the dividing line.

The communities of Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills and Aliso Viejo west of the freeway could be combined into one city. East of Interstate 5, El Toro and Lake Forest could be joined as one city, or annexed to Mission Viejo, Golding said.

Representatives of San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano and Mission Viejo told the commission of their intentions to eventually extend their spheres of influence, which could overlap. All three acknowledged that the study session had forced them to make a quick decision on any future annexation possibilities. They also said they want to meet with each other before they actually make formal proposals to LAFCO.

A sphere of influence is an area next to a city’s boundaries that the city eventually may want to annex.

Areas of discussion at Wednesday’s meeting included the cities of Irvine, Laguna Beach, San Juan Capistrano, Mission Viejo and San Clemente, and the communities of Capistrano Beach, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Leisure World, Aegean Hills, El Toro, Lake Forest, Aliso Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Rancho Mission Viejo and Trabuco Canyon.