Sunset files petition for incorporation

The Sunset Beach Community Assn. voted to file a notice of intent to petition with the Orange County Local Agency Formation Committee — the first step in becoming an incorporated city — at a planning meeting Tuesday.

The association held a meeting to discuss its options after Seal Beach decided to end all discussion of annexing Sunset Beach. The possibility of annexation comes after the Orange County Local Agency Formation Committee put the community under Huntington Beach’s sphere of influence July 8.

Sunset residents, who wish to remain part of an independent community, originally expressed interest in joining Seal Beach over Huntington — if annexation was inevitable — because of the city’s small-town feel and treatment of Surfside, a small community similar to Sunset Beach that Seal Beach annexed.

With Seal Beach’s decision Aug. 10, Sunset’s association voted to put out a mailing in the community asking registered voters and landowners if they are interested in incorporating, for donations to begin the process and to sign a petition to become a city.

After it files the intent to petition, the community has six months to gather signatures from 25% of the community’s landowners or registered voters. The move could stop Huntington Beach from starting the annexation process if it decides to, said Joyce Crosthwaite, Orange County Local Agency Formation Committee’s executive officer.

Crosthwaite attended the meeting and answered residents’ questions about their options. Crosthwaite said she is unsure about what would happen if Sunset begins the incorporation process and Huntington files for annexation.

“We have never had a conflict between a small island annexation ... and an incorporation,” Crosthwaite said.

The incorporation process is hard, rigid and expensive, Crosthwaite said, but resident Bill Sebring said the process isn’t too complicated or too much work and cited other communities that have achieved incorporation.

“Now they’ve done it and they have less potential revenue than Sunset Beach,” Sebring said.

The smallest community to incorporate in Orange County is Villa Park with 6,250 residents, said Carolyn Emery, Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission senior project manager. Villa Park may be small, but it is a giant compared to Sunset Beach’s 1,227 residents.

Emery said she is worried Sunset wouldn’t have the sales tax revenue it needs to stay afloat.

“I don’t think they have the resources to sustain themselves as a city,” Emery said.

Emery said one option Sunset could use would be to tax themselves, something Crosthwaite discussed at the meeting.

“I can kind of guarantee that you will have to have a utility tax,” Crosthwaite said.

Emery said if Sunset does decide to continue on with the application process the community should weigh the likelihood of it being approved with how much of an investment they want to put into it.

Then the community must file the actual application to incorporate and put down a deposit, have an Initial feasibility analysis completed and provide a map, legal description and a plan of services.

The entire process typically takes a year to 18 months and could cost more than $100,000, Crosthwaite said. She also warned communities can go through the process and be turned down by the committee at its hearing or can be shut down by Sunset residents by a vote because the option to incorporate has to be approved by the people.

Despite the vote to begin the process, residents are considering all their options, including resisting annexation by getting residents on their side or sending Huntington an olive branch.

The latter move is in motion with an invitation to Huntington’s mayor and city manager to attend Sunset’s next meeting Sept. 3. Both have said they will be in attendance.

Mayor Keith Bohr said he wants a fresh start and Huntington Beach is still working on its financial analysis and plans to meet with the Orange County Local Formation Agency Commission and the county to discuss costs.

Association Vice President Mike Van Voorhis said he wants the community to stop “disrespecting” Huntington Beach because Sunset might soon be annexed.

“The truth is I think Huntington Beach has been a fine neighbor and I’m not afraid to go with them,” Van Voorhis said.

Timeline

Past: Sunset Beach was put under Huntington Beach’s sphere of influence July 8 by the Orange County Local Agency Formation Committee.

Present: Sunset Beach residents expressed an interest in being annexed by Seal Beach, but Seal Beach voted not to file for annexation or continue looking into the issue at its Aug. 10 City Council meeting.

Future: Sunset Beach is going to file a notice of intent to petition to start the process toward becoming an incorporated city.