Glendora City Council Approves Annexation of County Islands

Clearing one more hurdle for the Monrovia Nursery housing development project, the Glendora City Council unanimously voted to proceed with the annexation of 68 acres of county islands Tuesday.

Following the city’s adoption of the Monrovia Nursery Specific Plan and the development of 124 housing units in December 2010, city officials filed annexation requests for county islands within the Specific Plan, which covers areas bordered by Sierra Madre and Barranca avenues.

But the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) denied the city’s request, saying the city must annex whole portions of county islands to move forward with the annexation process.

Although city officials said they had no intent or desire to annex county islands not within the Specific Plan, LAFCO’s decision left them with no choice, said City Planning Director Jeff Kugel.

Kugel said the city had tried to plead its case to the county supervisor’s office, to no avail.

“They want the city to absorb those islands when they are incorporating areas that are contiguous to it,” said Kugel. The annexation would take in 62 homes into city boundaries.

Although at Sandburg Middle School in September, few opposed the proceedings at the public hearing Tuesday.

Kugel addressed some of the concerns from the September meeting, including retaining the area's rural character and property taxes, both of which will remain the same, said Kugel.

Kugel said county residents also pay a mandatory 4.5% utility tax, which city residents do not pay.

Once incorporated into the city, residents will be served by the Glendora Police Department rather than LA County Sheriffs, as well as Athens Trash for their waste management services.

Glendora Resident Margaret Kraght asked the council why they were focusing on specific county islands, while several more, including those north of Sierra Madre also exist.

“Why not annex the whole thing?” Kraght asked.

City Manager Chris Jeffers said moving the Monrovia Nursery project along is the city’s prime focus, and that proceedings for other county islands would only delay construction on the much-anticipated Monrovia Nursery project.

“The area is notorious for infrastructure problems – from floodings to sewer problems. The only way we can help solve their flooding problems is to get this property developed and put in storm drains, retention basins and sewer systems,” said Jeffers. “We’re trying to fulfill the Specific Plan which will benefit everyone – county and city residents.”

Although the city is focusing on the 68 acres within the Specific Plan, Mayor Doug Tessitor said he would like to see more annexations of county islands in the future.

“I have wished for a long, long time that we can annex all these little pockets throughout the city,” said Tessitor. “I would like very much to start the process to annex all these little pieces around the city and solve that problem once and for all, but that’s a project for another day.”

Glendora has not annexed any new county land in recent years, with most of the annexation done during the 80s or 90s, said Kugel.