Laguna Hills in Land Tug-of-War

Laguna Hills has launched a bid to annex two parcels of unincorporated land also claimed by Aliso Viejo cityhood proponents.

Over the objections of some Aliso Viejo residents, the City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to continue with plans to annex two areas totaling 340 acres that include homes, a park and commercial district within Aliso Viejo’s proposed cityhood boundaries.

The city expects to apply next week to the Local Area Formation Commission, a county agency that oversees annexations and incorporations.

“That’s the purpose of LAFCO--to decide,” said Laguna Hills Councilman Joel Lautenschleger. “I’m not against [Aliso Viejo’s] incorporation. I still believe we can remain good neighbors, but [we] still have boundaries to decide.”

Cindy Pickett, a member of Aliso Viejo’s Cityhood 2000 Committee, said she fears the annexation effort could hamper her community’s quest to become Orange County’s 34th city.

Losing the land would deprive Aliso Viejo of tax revenue from businesses in the annexation area, including a Target store and Stater Bros. “It may not kill cityhood, but it will make it hard to be a city in the future,” Pickett said.

The Laguna Hills council said Aliso Viejo residents spurred the proposal by inquiring about becoming part of the city. Many of those residents live in the northern parcel of land up for annexation, which includes the Indian Hills neighborhood east of Moulton Parkway and Sheep Hills Park, the first developed park in Aliso Viejo.

Aliso Viejo resident Scott Cohen, who lives in the affected area, told the Council at Tuesday’s meeting that he feels more attached to Laguna Hills.

“You don’t have to decide if I’m part of Aliso Viejo or Laguna Hills, you just have to come to my house,” Cohen said. “You can throw a rock and hit Laguna Hills, but Aliso Viejo is football fields away.” This 144-acre parcel was originally considered in Laguna Hills’ incorporation efforts in 1988 and 1989, but city officials said the parcel was dropped in the successful 1991 incorporation after pressure from Aliso Viejo’s master developer, Mission Viejo Co.

The southern parcel of land the city wants to annex is east of Alicia Parkway and includes 202 acres of homes, the Aliso Viejo Plaza, the Aliso Viejo Professional Center and businesses on Mareblu Lane.

Debra Ledford, a resident living in the southern area, told the council she thinks her property values would decrease if her neighborhood became part of the city.

“I have been supporting Aliso Viejo’s cityhood for quite some time,” Ledford said. “I’ve always considered myself an Aliso Viejo resident.”

Dan Schwartz, a LAFCO project manager, said the agency will hold hearings for residents to express their opinions before a decision is made next year.

“Public sentiment is very important to the commission,” Schwartz said. “It’s certainly expected to complement their decision.”

The city’s annexation proposal will be considered along with Aliso Viejo’s cityhood application, which was filed in September, Schwartz said. The annexation would be reviewed as an alternate boundary for Aliso Viejo.

Schwartz said he encourages residents to realize that the City Council’s decision wasn’t meant to hurt the community of Aliso Viejo.

“This shows that the City Council has experience working with proposals and understands what they’re doing,” Schwartz said. “There’s a lot of questions that have to be answered. They know LAFCO has the final say.”