ORANGE : ‘Islands’ Residents Debate Annexation

Most of the residents of unincorporated county land who spoke at a protest hearing Tuesday on the annexation of their neighborhoods by the city of Orange said they would prefer “to be left alone.”

But some said they would love to become Orange citizens.

The hearing was the latest meeting over the future of the three neighborhoods known as the “Fairhaven islands.”

Surrounded by the city of Orange to the east, west and north, the islands encompass a 97-acre area that is home to about 850 people. Fairhaven Avenue runs along the area’s southern border.

The islands were at one time included in a plan to incorporate a new city of North Tustin. Officials of the county’s Local Agency Formation Commission deleted the neighborhoods from that plan and approved the annexation of the islands to Orange.

Residents gathered signatures last fall in an effort to stop the annexation but were unable to raise enough support. When the city tried to put the matter to a vote, residents protested and the city delayed any action.

Now residents in the area have a last chance to decide whether they want to be annexed to Orange or remain county property, an issue that has divided neighbors. Ten speakers at the hearing told City Council members that they feared taxes would be higher and public service worse if they joined Orange.

“Speaking for myself and a lot of my neighbors, we’d like to be left alone,” Martin Novak declared. “We’re happy.”

Mary Ann Chamberlain, city planner, tried to assuage such fears, telling residents that if they are annexed their property taxes will remain the same, water rates will be reduced by 33%, and sanitation and garbage collection fees will be lower than county fees.

Supporters of annexation also tried to persuade their neighbors that Orange is “offering us good things” and that the annexation should be welcomed.

“I would love to be part of this city,” said Ronald Dreiman, a homeowner since 1966. “The county doesn’t love us, they want to get rid of us. It’s about time we accepted the city’s gracious offer.”

To stop the annexation, opponents must submit letters of protest to the city. The county registrar of voters will verify the number of protests and, within 30 days, the City Council will pass a resolution based on those results.

If more than 50% of registered voters file written protests against annexation, the property will remain county land. If fewer than 25% of the registered voters in the area protest, the city will automatically annex the property.

The matter will be put to a vote if 25% to 50% of the registered voters in the neighborhoods submit written protests or if protests are submitted by more than 25% of the landowners owning 25% or more of the assessed property.