Leisure World Vote on Cityhood Approved

Leisure World residents will decide next spring whether to become Orange County’s 32nd city, but they won’t get to use their favorite name.

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved the March 2 vote but eliminated the retirement community’s first choice for a name--Laguna Heights--because there are already two neighborhoods in nearby Laguna Niguel with the same name.

So when Leisure World voters decide the cityhood question, they will chose between two runner-up names: Laguna Woods and Laguna Verde.

Cityhood supporters said they have no problem giving up the Laguna Heights name, which won a contest conducted by Leisure World’s newspaper.

Activist Robert Ring said the name would only cause confusion with the two other Laguna Heights neighborhoods as well as a shopping center that bears the same name. Residents of those communities urged county officials to have Leisure World select a different name.

“I think the action is justified,” Ring said. “If that will keep the neighbors happy, we’re happy to accommodate them.”

Laguna Heights was one of 188 names proposed by Leisure World residents, whose average age is 77. Among those that didn’t make the cut: Viagra Village, Geezerville, Laguna Pills and Golden Gates.

If a majority of the community’s 20,000 residents approves the cityhood measure, the community will be designated a city as of March 25.