Guidelines Developed for Small Annexations

The county has developed a set of interim guidelines that would make it easier for cities to annex small islands of unincorporated county land but discourage actions on larger communities for the time being.

The guidelines, which the Board of Supervisors will consider adopting in coming weeks, would remain in effect until county officials craft more detailed policies over the next year.

The proposal states that the county will not encourage any annexations or incorporations in sizable county communities until the final policies are completed.

But the county would press ahead with efforts to shed dozens of “islands,” which are small housing tracts and commercial properties surrounded by incorporated cities. Under the interim guidelines, the county would offer cities a larger share of property tax revenue if they annex all the islands within their boundaries.