Vista Planner Would Keep Seat Under His Annexation Plan

A Vista planning commissioner is attempting to have the part of unincorporated Bonsall where he plans to live annexed into the city in an effort to retain his seat on the commission.

Commissioner John Howells began building a two-story house on Warmlands Avenue just outside the northern boundary of Vista. If Howells moves into the house, however, he will lose his seat on the commission, which requires members to be Vista residents.

“Obviously, (the Planning Commission seat) has something to do with it,” Howells said of the annexation attempt. “But, whether I was on the Planning Commission or not, I think it is in the residents’ best interests to be annexed into the city so they have some voice about what happens in the area.”

The proposed annexation area covers 18 properties between Vista Grande and Warmlands Avenue, eight of whose owners have given permission to reorganize them into the city, according to a city Planning Department map.

Howells said the area had been part of a larger annexation proposal “a few years ago” that was dropped, although he could not recall why. He said he is merely renewing the effort, for a smaller part of the area.

Some residents, however, are not as eager to become part of Vista.

“There are no benefits to being part of Vista, and there are a lot of disadvantages,” said Marshall Byer, a Warmlands Avenue resident. “Vista brings with it higher population densities and higher taxes and lots of additional codes, such as the appearance of your property and that sort of thing.”

Brian Smith of the Planning Department said signatures from at least half the residents are required in order for the council to take up the annexation proposal, and from 75% for that to happen without a special election. The Local Agency Formation Commission must eventually approve it.

“Our involvement is just to make sure that the boundaries are logical, and it’s up to LAFCO to decide,” Smith said. “The next step is basically to have the City Council to initiate the annexation to LAFCO by adopting a resolution.”

“The city does not force people into the city,” he said.

Dal Williams, chairman of the Planning Commission, rejected the notion that Howells might have misused his position in requesting the annexation.