Back Bay annexation meeting today

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- Residents in the Back Bay High School neighborhood will

have an opportunity today to discuss the possibility of becoming Costa

Mesa residents.

The county is sponsoring an open house to provide information and take

public comments on the neighborhood’s potential incorporation into Costa

Mesa.

“We’re in the early, exploratory, information-gathering stages,” said

Paul Lanning, redevelopment program manager for the county. “No decision

has been made. Nothing is going to happen overnight.”

The neighborhood, about 65 acres between Del Mar Avenue and Mesa

Drive, is an unincorporated part of the county in Costa Mesa’s sphere of

influence.

The meeting will be held at the Alternative Education Center, formerly

Back Bay High School. Representatives from the city, county and Local

Agency Formation Commission -- which will ultimately decide on the

annexation -- are expected to attend.

The city has been working on annexing the neighborhood and other

unincorporated areas since 1996.

Tamara Campbell, senior planner for the city, said the area is a

logical extension of city boundaries.

“You have two governments serving one area, and that results in

inefficiency in government services,” she said. “You have two sets of

police services, fire services and street sweepers. Our goal is to ensure

efficient provision of government services, and our intent is to have the

city provide the services rather than the county because it is too costly

for the county to provide them.”

The county has been encouraging cities to annex unincorporated

“islands” since its 1994 bankruptcy, Lanning said.

One benefit of annexation for the neighborhood could be shortened

police response times, he said. Residents would also have less travel

time -- to Costa Mesa City Hall, instead of the Santa Ana Civic Center --

to conduct any government business.

FYI

* WHAT: Open house meeting to discuss possible annexation of the area

near Back Bay High School

* WHERE: The multipurpose room at the Alternative Education Center,

formerly Back Bay High School, 390 Monte Vista Ave.

* WHEN: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m today

* INFORMATION: (714) 754-5245