Local News in Brief : Mission Viejo : Panel Turns Down Plan to Annex Aegean Hills

The County Local Agency Formation Commission on Wednesday turned down a request that the city of Mission Viejo annex the adjoining community of Aegean Hills.

The commission’s action was expected because the Mission Viejo City Council in January rescinded its original support for the annexation proposal. The council cited financial uncertainties.

In the wake of the council’s action, residents of Aegean Hills who last year petitioned LAFCO for annexation decided to withdraw their request as well. However, the commission was required to vote on the request because it had already been placed on the meeting agenda.

Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez, one of five LAFCO commissioners, said the commission’s denial of the request means that the Aegean Hills annexation issue cannot be brought again before the county for review for at least one year, or until LAFCO determines that a public interest is at stake.

In other action Wednesday, LAFCO turned down a request by the city of Laguna Beach to extend its sphere of influence to include the Laguna Laurel area in Laguna Canyon. A sphere of influence is a necessary precursor to annexation.

Commissioners said they denied the Laguna Beach request because the city refused to support developer agreements for the unincorporated land. The agreements would require developers to help finance construction of the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor, which is to run through the Laguna Laurel land.