Tustin Efforts to Annex 2 Areas Blocked

Residents of two North Tustin areas have successfully blocked efforts from Tustin to annex their territory.

Petitions protesting the proposed annexation of the Fairhaven Avenue and Prospect Avenue parcels received signatures from 53% and 62% respectively of the people in those areas, Tustin City Atty. James Rourke said Monday. Under state law, annexation efforts must be abandoned for a full year if 50% or more of an area’s population signs petitions protesting it.

Fairhaven Avenue is a 160-acre parcel that has 451 homes and is bounded by Fairhaven on the north, Prospect Avenue on the east, Santa Clara Avenue on the south, and its border with Tustin on the west.

Prospect Avenue is a 16.5-acre site that includes 53 homes and is bounded by Santa Clara on the North, Laurie Lane on the south, Prospect on the East and Laurinda Way on the west.

Residents of the two neighborhoods, who have contended that the city was trying to force annexation upon them, were pleased by the results. “Of course I’m very happy,” said Elva Woodland, who lives in the Fairhaven Avenue parcel. “I don’t want to live in Tustin.”

However, Tustin officials attribute their defeat to the efforts of a few residents of the area who persuaded fellow residents to see things their way. “If they were in the privacy of a voting booth, I think they would make a different decision,” said City Councilman Richard B. Edgar. “If someone comes to your door with a petition, and you know them, you’re very very motivated to sign what they have.”

Edgar added that he felt that many residents of North Tustin mistakenly thought that their taxes would go up if they annexed to Tustin, something that Edgar says could not happen.

Edgar, who said that the annexation effort was initiated by residents of the areas and not by the city, says he “fully expects others to come back in a year and try again.”

However, opponents say they will watch for any attempt to begin a new annexation drive, which under state law requires petition signatures from 5% of the population of the area under consideration.