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Home My WebLink AboutCC AG PKT 2004-01-12 #D AGENDA REPORT DATE: January 12, 2004 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council THRU: John B. Bahorski, City Manager FROM: June Yotsuya, Assistant City Manager SUBJECT: CITY RESPONSE TO LAFCO PUBLIC HEARING TO RECONSIDER ITS ACTION TO APPROVE MCAS EL TORO ANNEXATION TO CITY OF IRVINE (CAMPBELL) SUMMARY OF REQUEST: At the request of Mayor Campbell, the City Council is requested to authorize the Mayor to send a letter to Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to reconsider its November 12, 2003 action to approve the proposed annexation of the former MCAS El Toro property to the City of Irvine. DISCUSSION: In November, LAFCO considered the application by the City of Irvine requesting annexation of approximately 4,287 acres of the former Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Toro. Reuse of this former military base has been one of the decade's most divisive and controversial issues in Orange County. Over the years, various factions have offered competing visions on what to do with this annexation territory. The most recent initiative, Measure W, was passed that amended the County of Orange's General Plan to designate the property primarily for park and open space uses and removed the designation of the site as a commercial airport. At its November 12 meeting, LAFCO approved the City of Irvine's annexation application. Their proposed base and great park plan includes park, open space and educational uses. However, the plan also includes residential and retail uses. Annexation to the City of Irvine places the development of this important territory under the sole purview of its city's local general plan and development process. This eliminates any County or regional participation in any future development. On January 14, 2004, LAFCO will conduct a public hearing to reconsider its previous action to approve annexation of the former Marine base to the City of Irvine. At this hearing, the Commission will consider oral and written testimony by interested persons or affected agencies. Agenda Item .D 1 January 12, 2004 City Council Agenda Report — LAFCO Public Hearing to Reconsider MCAS El Toro Annexation Page 2 During 1999, the City of Seal Beach took several actions regarding the issue of reuse of MCAS El Toro. In April 1999, Resolution 4701 passed opposing Safe and Healthy Communities Initiative (El Toro). Following in May, City Council approved Resolution 4704 opposing Irvine's proposed annexation of MCAS El Toro. Finally, Resolution 4771 passed in November 1999 supporting community friendly commercial aviation reuse of the former military site. RECOMMENDATION: It is a request by the Mayor that the City Council submit a letter to the Local Agency Formation • Commission in support of reconsideration of its commission action to approve the City of Irvine's application for annexation of MCAS El Toro and include comments that the proposed plan includes reuse development that does not follow the tenets of Measure W. Submitted by: 411/' ' `r / e Yots a, Assi Cant City Manager NOT ! ' , ►. AP' ' OVED: ,?,A/ 4 or .. Jo Joh B. :aho ki, ity Manager - ttachment -Letter NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held by the Local Agency Formation Commission ( "LAFCO ") of Orange County on January 14, 2004 to consider a REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION of a LAFCO action taken on November 12, 2003 to approve the proposed MCAS EL TORO ANNEXATION TO THE CITY OF IRVINE (CA03 -15). At the January 14, 2004 hearing, the Commission will consider, in accordance with Government Code Section 56895, any new or different facts that could not have been previously presented that warrant the reconsideration of the Commission's prior action to approve the application. The action as proposed in the original application included the annexation of approximately 4,287 acres formerly known as the Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro to the City of Irvine. Located in central Orange County, the proposed annexation territory is north of the Santa Ana Freeway (I -5), east of the Eastern Transportation Corridor (SR -133) and south of the Foothill Transportation Corridor (SR- 241). The hearing will be held on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 at 9:00 a.m. at the Orange County Hall of Administration, 10 Civic Center Plaza, Planning Commission Hearing Room, Santa Ana, CA 92701. At the hearing, the Commission will consider oral and written testimony by any interested person or affected agency and the report of the Executive Officer. The . proposal file may be examined at 12 Civic Center Plaza, Room 235, Santa Ana, CA 92701. For more information, please call Kim Koeppen, Policy Analyst, at (714) 834 -2556. { DANA M. SMITH Executive Officer Dated: December 24, 2003 - - File Reference Number: CA03 -15 k z • • �F SEAL ' C�R POP A7 Fq ) t < ` F CITY HALL" 7 11 EIGHTH STREET SFAL BCACH CAL(FORN1A90T40 , �..,..- ; r (56Z)2-13 ciacal- bcach.ca.us; ' . + 04 � ..q' - �r.,. +,, • " ` . "++ t " i , vh 'M+ �7' .' i . : • January 13, 2004 Ms. Arlene Schafer, Chair Orange County LAFCO 12 Civic Center Plaza, Room 235 Santa Ana, CA 92701 Dear Ms. Schafer, On Wednesday, January 14, 2004, the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) will be conducting a public hearing to reconsider its action to approve the proposed MCAS El Toro Annexation to the City of Irvine. At this hearing, you will be considering oral and written testimony by interested parties. The City of Seal Beach supports the Request for Reconsideration of LAFCO's November 12, 2003 action to approve the annexation of the former Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro to the City of Irvine. We do not support Irvine's proposed base and great park plan. The inclusion of housing and retail development is not in keeping with ' the tenets of Measure W that amended the County of Orange General Plan to designate the annexed area for recreation, park, open space and educational purposes. We appreciate the commission's attention to this issue and respectfully request the commission reconsider its previous action to approve annexation of MCAS El Toro to the City of Irvine. - Sincerely, ) 4 41444 / 314411 Patricia E. Campbell - Mayor •