ROSSMOOR : Board to Decide Date for Vote on Wall Tax

Directors of the the Rossmoor Community Services District board will decide today when to hold a special election to determine if voters are willing to tax themselves to maintain the Rossmoor perimeter wall.

Two dates being proposed are June 7 and Nov. 8. The five-member board is likely to pick a November date because board members said voters as well as district employees must have ample time to prepare for the election.

The election is necessary because the community services district, which governs the unincorporated area, does not have the authority to maintain the 37-year-old wall. The district provides such services as street lighting and sweeping, landscaping and trash collection.

The Rossmoor Homeowners Assn. has been behind the effort to repair and maintain the wall after a 100-foot section of it collapsed during an earthquake in 1992. Residents have expressed fears that other sections weakened by the earthquake may topple and cause injuries.

In a survey last year sent to 3,748 homes, 63% of those who responded said they favor an election to determine if property owners should pay a special tax to repair and maintain the wall.

More than 80% of the respondents said that the 1 1/2-mile-long wall, starting at Hedwig Road and extending south along Los Alamitos and Seal Beach boulevards, is a “community asset” and must be preserved.

Bill Sheldon, the services district’s general manager, said that the election could cost from $9,000 to $14,000 if conducted by the county and about $10,000 if a consultant is hired to conduct the election.

If approved, owners of the community’s 3,555 parcels would pay about $15 a year for 20 years to repair the wall and create a trust fund for its maintenance.