Sewage Problem in Laguna Canyon

I am a 78-year-old retired schoolteacher who has lived in Laguna Canyon in the unincorporated County of Orange for 30 years.

We have sought annexation to the city of Laguna Beach because the Health Department no longer allows septic tanks in the flood plain and the percolation tests are so stringent that the hillside residents cannot build. We have no sewers.

The city of Laguna Beach has agreed that if we annex, they will help us financially to get the sewer. This makes it possible for people on a fixed income (like myself) to finally afford the sewer. If we don’t annex, Laguna Beach will not allow us to connect to their sewer main.

When I went to the LAFCO meeting on March 1, they said they would not allow us to annex to Laguna Beach unless the city agrees to collect corridor fees. The city is against the San Joaquin Hills Corridor and said they would not collect those fees. On further examination, it turns out that these fees are collected for new development. In our little area, there is almost no new development so there are almost no fees to collect.

We are being held political hostage by LAFCO just so they can get back at Laguna Beach for not agreeing with them about the corridor.

What has happened to democracy? We want to annex to Laguna Beach and they want us to annex. What is LAFCO doing? Why is a public agency like LAFCO allowed to use its power to threaten to deprive us of the privilege of remaining in our homes?

HELEN SCOTT

Laguna Beach