Simi Valley’s Bid for Quick Ruling on Annexation of Hope Land Dims

In a setback for Simi Valley’s chances of getting an early ruling on whether it can annex Bob Hope’s Jordan and Runkle ranches, the head of a county planning agency said Thursday that a study of the city’s request for special consideration will take a month longer than expected.

Simi Valley officials said a delay by the Local Agency Formation Commission in deciding to change its procedures could hurt the city’s chances for a speedy review of the proposal to expand its sphere of influence to include the two properties.

LAFCO Director Bob Braitman said his staff needs more time to prepare a report on the matter and will ask the commission to delay a decision until Nov. 21. The commission was scheduled to consider the request at its next meeting on Oct. 17.

“It’s taking more time than we have,” Braitman said of the staff report. “To put together a credible report needed by the commission, we’re recommending the matter be held over.”

Simi Valley officials said a delay would mean that Simi Valley City Councilwoman Vicky Howard, who is a member of the LAFCO board, will not be able to vote on the matter. Howard’s four-year term on the board ends Nov. 6.

“We’re disappointed,” Mayor Greg Stratton said. “I don’t think it bodes well for us.”

However, Stratton said there is a strong possibility that the city will still pursue annexation even though the process could take two years. He said the council will discuss the issue at its meeting on Monday.

If reelected next month, Thousand Oaks Mayor Alex Fiore, a LAFCO alternate, would take Howard’s place at the panel’s Nov. 21 meeting. Fiore has said repeatedly that he is against Simi Valley annexing Jordan Ranch--where a 750-house development and tournament golf course are planned--because the city is separated from the property by a mountain range.

Fiore said he would also oppose any change in LAFCO procedures for hearing the annexation proposal.

“Why fix something that’s not broke?” Fiore asked. He said if the commission made an exception with Simi Valley, other cities and developers would expect similar treatment.

Although LAFCO traditionally has not reviewed annexation proposals by cities until their general plans have been amended and the necessary environmental impact reports completed, there is no law prohibiting the agency from doing so.

Simi Valley officials had requested an early ruling on the annexation proposal to avoid the lengthy and costly process of amending its General Plan if it appeared that the proposal would be turned down.

Fearing that the County Board of Supervisors would reject the Jordan Ranch development, Hope and Potomac Investment Associates turned to Simi Valley in July with the annexation proposal.

In addition to 2,308 acres of Jordan Ranch property, Hope has also asked the city to annex 3,600 acres of Runkle Ranch. The properties are part of the Santa Monica and Santa Susana mountains.

If annexation goes through and his development is approved, Hope and his attorneys have promised the city that he would not sell Blind Canyon, part of the Runkle Ranch site, to the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts to be developed as a landfill. Runkle Ranch straddles both Ventura and Los Angeles counties.