HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC AG PKT 2011-04-25 #HAGENDA STAFF REPORT
DATE: April 25, 2011
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THRU: Jill R. Ingram, Acting City Manager
FROM: Mark Persico, AICP, Director of Development Services
SUBJECT: LETTER TO THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS OPPOSING THE "SUPER CITY"
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
Authorize the Mayor to sign the attached letter opposing the "Super City"
concept.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS:
On April 7, 2011, County Supervisor John Moorlach authored an Opinion article
in the Sun Newspaper supporting a "Super City." The idea is to merge the City's
of Los Alamitos and Seal Beach with the unincorporated community of Rossmoor
into one city.
On April 11, 2011, the Council directed staff to prepare a letter stating the City's
opposition to the idea. A draft letter has been prepared for the Mayor to sign.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council authorize the Mayor to sign the attached letter.
SUBMIT
ED BY:
Mark H. Persico, I
Director of Development Services
NOTED AND APPROVED:
MR. Ingram,
Acting City Manager
Attachment
A. Sun Newspaper Opinion Article Supervisor Moorlach, April 7, 2011
B. Letter Opposing the "Super City"
Agenda Item H
ATTACHMENT "A"
SUPERVISOR MOORLACH OPINION ARTICLE
SUN NEWSPAPER APRIL 7, 2011
T hursday, April 7, 2011
Egg!
Time to Re-Draw the Lines?
SUN NEWSPAPER
Today, most of Orange County's nearly 3 million residents receive
their municipal services (fire, police, sewer, water, courts, and social
services, for example) through a myriad of government agencies, but
primarily the county, cities, and special districts. This "quilt work" of
service providers has developed slowly over the County's 122 -year
history—ever since Orange County successfully
broke off from Los Angeles County in the summer = = s*
of 1889. At that time, there were only three incor-
orated cities in Orange County—Anaheim,
P g ty— Anaheim, Santa '-•
Ana and Orange —and the total County population
consisted of 13,500 residents.
- Over the decades, to address the County's grow -
ing population and service demands, we've added
more cities and special districts -;-lots of 'them. John Moorlach
Today, in 2011, we have 34 incorporated cities, 26
independent special districts, and the county which
all, in one way or another, retain responsibility for providing munici-
pal services to OC residents. Our cities range in population from
6,300 (Villa Park) to 358,000 (Santa Ana). Our independent special
districts serve populations ranging from 2,500 residents (Sunset Beach
Sanitary District) to 330,000 residents (Irvine Ranch Water District).
Because I tend to 'ive and breathe local government issues, I do a
lot of thinking about government organization and how to best serve
our residents.
Is the quilt work we now have in place in Orange County the best
way to provide services to our residents? If somehow, all the lines
defining city and special district boundaries disappeared in Orange
County, and you had a blank slate to start with, would you redraw
the lines in the same way? Are 34 cities too many? Are 26 special
districts overkill? Is there a better way?
I have to believe there is, and I am beginning to believe that we do
have too many government agencies in this county, and that we could
do a more efficient, cost effective job of delivering services if some
cities or special districts were combined.'
As chairman of the Orange County Local' Agency Formation
Commission (LAFCO), which is in charge of setting boundaries for
cities and special districts, I have been a proponent of looking into the
feasibility of combining the cities of Seal Beach, Los Alamitos and
the unincorporated community of Rossmoor into a single city (the so-
called "super city" concept).
Raising this'idea, as you can imagine, has not made me popular
with a few of my constituents (or fellow elected officials) in these
communities. I am very aware of and respect the individual identities
of these areas, the passion of their residents,. and the desire to remain
separate identities. The long -term fiscal pressures on all local govern-
ments, however, demand that elected officials look at the full range of
governance options to increase efficiency - including those -that many
consider politically infeasible or wildly unpopular with residents. I
believe the super city idea is at least worth exploring. it just might be
time to redraw the lines.
John Moorlach is the District 2 Orange County Supervisor. His
district includes Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove,
Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Seal
Beach, Stanton, Rossmoor and Sunset Beach. He is serving his last
term as a supervisor.
ATTACHMENT "B"
LETTER OPPOSING THE "SUPER CITY" CONCEPT
April 25, 2011
Honorable Bill Campbell
Orange County Supervisor Board Chairman
Hall of Administration'
333 W. Santa Ana Boulevard
Santa Ana, CA 92701
SUBJECT: Opposition to Proposed "Super City" Concept
Dear Chairman Campbell:
The Seal Beach City Council is strongly opposed to the "Super City" concept currently being
proposed by Supervisor Moorlach. This country was founded on representative democracy and
the fact that elected officials should be close to the electorate.
In a recent opinion article published in the Sun Newspaper on April 7, 2011, Supervisor Moorlach
identifies what he considers a problem - a "quilt work" of local service providers. The article asks if
there are "too many cities" or if there is an "overkill' of special districts. The City of Seal Beach
does not believe this is the case.
While the County may have service delivery issues in Rossmoor, the City Council does not believe
the answer is the merger of three separate and distinct communities — Los Alamitos, Rossmoor,
and Seal Beach - into a "Super City." The concept is without merit and the Seal Beach City
Council stands firmly opposed to the idea.
We have a collaborative working relationship with the Board of Supervisors and in that
regard, on behalf of the Seal City Council, implore the Board of Supervisors to acknowledge
our vehement, opposition to the "Super City" concept.
Sincerely,
Michael P. Levitt, Mayor
City of Seal Beach
cc: Supervisor Moorlach
Supervisor Nguyen
Supervisor Nelson
Supervisor Bates