Local News in Brief : North Tustin : Cityhood Backers Hope Others Will Take Over

A residents’ group seeking cityhood for North Tustin or annexation to a neighboring town announced Wednesday that it has taken the campaign as far as it can.

“Really, we are passing the baton to whomever would like to pick it up,” said Francine Pace, chairwoman of North Tustin Tomorrow. She said that a “broad-based” advocacy group should continue the campaign, which began when North Tustin Tomorrow formed in January, 1987.

Most of the 600 households that responded to a survey taken by the committee last September supported changing the area’s unincorporated status. There are 9,800 households in North Tustin, she said. But the survey did not ask whether they preferred cityhood or annexation to an existing city, such as neighboring Tustin, Orange or Santa Ana.

“We do not have an objective survey of what the people in North Tustin want to do,” Pace said.

The committee recommended that any efforts wait until after the November elections, when Tustin, Santa Ana and Orange resolve their own ballot issues.

Committee members say cityhood would maximize local control while annexation to another city, especially Tustin, would maximize regional control, giving North Tustin residents greater influence on regional affairs, such as future freeway projects.

“Remaining unincorporated is suicide on a long-term basis,” said Bill Weber, vice chairman of the committee.

A partial application for incorporation has been filed with the Local Agency Formation Commission, Pace said.