Council to build borders group

Alicia Robinson

Even as Newport-Mesa officials plan meetings to find common ground on

city issues, they’re still miles apart on the first item on their

agenda.

The Newport Beach City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to

create a “borders committee” comprising three council members --

Steve Rosansky, Don Webb and Leslie Daigle -- who will meet with

Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach officials to discuss issues that

concern all three cities.

The committee’s first topic is likely to be contentious. Costa

Mesa and Newport Beach have both been interested in annexing three

islands of unincorporated county land in between the two cities, and

Costa Mesa already has tried to annex the parcels.

The three areas are the Santa Ana Country Club, West Santa Ana

Heights and an area south of Mesa Drive between Irvine and Santa Ana

avenues. When Costa Mesa sought to annex the country club and West

Santa Ana Heights, the Local Agency Formation Commission, which

governs county annexations, agreed. But West Santa Ana Heights

residents overturned the annexation with a protest vote, and country

club officials also petitioned to become part of Newport Beach.

The Costa Mesa City Council last week appointed council members

Eric Bever and Katrina Foley to meet for talks with Newport

officials. But they’re not ready to give up the fight for any of the

three areas, and the tenor of discussions last week was that it’s

time to play hardball.

“I think it is logical in terms of where the parcels are located

within Costa Mesa that they remain within Costa Mesa,” said Foley,

who will meet with Newport officials. “They’re surrounded by Costa

Mesa, and it would be like taking a knife and cutting into the city

and having a little island that is Newport Beach in the middle of

Costa Mesa.”

The three areas are within Costa Mesa’s “sphere of influence,”

according to boundaries drawn decades ago, Costa Mesa City Manager

Alan Roeder said.

Costa Mesa’s aggressive stance on the issue is a surprise to

Newport Beach Mayor Steve Bromberg.

His city is interested in annexing West Santa Ana Heights -- its

annexation of East Santa Ana Heights became official in July 2003 --

but no formal moves have been made toward any of the parcels,

Bromberg said.

“They’re creating a perception that this is the first time the

issue is being raised,” he said. “There’s nothing new, and there’s

nothing novel about it.”

He’s also at a loss to understand the pursuit of areas where

residents want to become part of Newport Beach, because their protest

votes mean they can’t be forced into Costa Mesa.

“If all these folks protested out, why would they oppose them

coming to Newport Beach rather than remaining a county island,”

Bromberg said. “That’s something that no one’s been able to answer

yet.”

For now, Newport Beach doesn’t have annexations on its agenda, but

officials could make a play for West Santa Ana Heights as early as

March, Newport Beach Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff said.

No meetings have yet been set between council members from the two

cities.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers government and politics. She

may be reached at (714) 966-4626

or by e-mail at alicia.robinson @latimes.com.