SANTA CLARITA VALLEY : Petition Shows Annexation Favored

More than 60% of the households in the Copper Hill neighborhood north of Santa Clarita have signed a petition in support of becoming the eighth area annexed into the city, city officials said Friday.

Of the 721 households in the area, 456 supported the annexation, 23 opposed it and 242 had no response to the petition, which was circulated by residents favoring the annexation. The petition is not required but is used to measure public opinion.

The Santa Clarita City Council is scheduled to meet May 19 to begin the annexation process by considering whether to include Copper Hill in the city’s sphere of influence, said Senior Planner Don Williams, the city’s annexation coordinator.

“There is more than enough support to begin our staff work toward annexation,” he said. “We’re very pleased with the support of the community.”

The Copper Hill neighborhood, measuring about 200 acres, includes about 2,200 residents. If successful, the annexation would bring the city’s geographical area to about 42 square miles. The annexation is subject to approval by the Local Agency Formation Commission.