(8)AR 041911 LAFCO's Island Annexation Policies

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Staff Report to the Mayor and City Council LAFCO — Island Annexation Policy April 19, 2011 Page 2 2. The Commission determines that no territory within an established County Redevelopment Area shall be included within an island annexation proposal, unless written consent has been received by the County Board of Supervisors and County Redevelopment Agency. 3. The Commission directs that a City proposing to initiate an island annexation proposal shall have conducted a public relations effort within the area prior to the adoption of its resolution of initiation. Such efforts shall include, but not be limited to, providing information on the grandfathering of existing legal County uses into the City, costs to the resident/taxpayer associated with the annexation, and land use determinations. Documentation of these efforts shall be a part of the Item application submitted for consideration by the Commission. LAFCO is specifically interested in feedback on the implementation of the criteria of "substantially surrounded," including but not limited to support for the current criteria, preference for a different percentage, or other criteria. LAFCO had initially requested feedback by January 4, 2011 so the Commission could consider the Policy at their January 19t' hearing. However, due to requests for additional time for review from several cities, including Colton, the Commission will not be considering this issue until May 2011. In addition, LAFCO is requesting input on the following items related to consideration of islands: 1. A potential policy determination on the question of the "entire island." This relates to the determinations required of the Commission under Government Code Section 56375.3. In several instances, the Commission has approved island areas which abut each other but which could be identified as substantially surrounded on their own as well as peninsulas of larger areas which meet the Commission's substantially surrounded interpretation. The Commission will be discussing this interpretation; discussing whether to amend or change its determination criteria, and discussing whether to add additional policy language to provide directives to cities and LAFCO staff for the future. 2. Potentially adopting as a policy its existing practice of requiring a City to address its island areas when proposing annexation of development -related territories. For example, as a result of the proposed annexation of the Arrowhead Springs Specific Plan, the City of San Bernardino was required to address its unincorporated islands. ISSUES/ANALYSIS The City's most recent attempt to annex unincorporated islands was met with considerable opposition from island residents, and the effort was abandoned by the City in 2007. There are no plans by the City to annex unincorporated islands at this time. However, the current request by LAFCO for input on the existing LAFCO Annexation Policy provides the City with the