Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Annexation Compromise Slashes Eligible Parcels (Press Enterprise 07122006).

Many people including myself are wondering why the city was not able to annex all the parcials as they were designed to do in the first place. I guess the arguement was that they based upon the terms of the annexation of the first parts they must have the property annexed or proposed to be annexed by the year 2014. that is some time off, but it gives the perspective builders time to design a new facility for approval, if the city doesn't like or it doesn't meet the city's approval then the annexation will stay the way it is or even go back. LAFCO is the Companty that is developing the apartments when they get them cleaned up and ready for redevelopment.

BSRanch

Annexation compromise slashes eligible parcels

10:00 PM PDT on Monday, July 10, 2006

By CHRIS RICHARD
The Press-Enterprise

To get a resort and potentially lucrative business development, San Bernardino officials agreed in April to absorb a dozen more county parcels.

Now they're trying to change the terms of the deal.

The original agreement between San Bernardino city government and the county Local Agency Formation Commission called for the city to submit annexation plans by June.

Formation agency staff had urged the annexation of the county pockets -- unincorporated areas that fall within San Bernardino's boundaries -- to improve services to residents there.

But on Monday, San Bernardino City Council members approved a new plan that cuts the number of county pockets in half and the acreage by more than three quarters.

Originally, city officials committed to annexing 440 acres. Monday's plan adds up to 94.

Asked whether LAFCO would accept the plan, City Manager Fred Wilson was noncommittal.

"This is a compromise," he said. "It's one bite of the apple, and all we're saying is, let us ramp up on the other parcels."

Wilson said serving one former county parcel, a 99-acre neighborhood, straddling Highway 30 at Del Rosa Avenue, already has turned out to be very expensive, with a disproportionate number of police and fire calls. According to a staff report, that area will bring San Bernardino only $76,000 in property taxes annually.

Development plans for Arrowhead Springs are much more ambitious, including an expansion of the resort's 135-room hotel, a second 300-room hotel and a 199-acre golf course, and as many as 1,350 homes and 1 million square feet of commercial and office space.

The city resolution that council members unanimously approved Monday promises to absorb the remaining county parcels by January 2014, the prospective termination date for a state law authorizing the annexations.

However, that 2014 date is included in a proposed extension for the law currently before state legislators. Right now, the law is due to expire in January.

If the extension doesn't pass, San Bernardino's commitment to the new deadline could be undermined.

Reach Chris Richard at 909-806-3076 or crichard@PE.com

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