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2010 CALAFCO Annual Conference, Palm Springs
Neelima Palacherla
LAFCO 201 Island Annexations in Santa Clara County
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What is an Island?
Unincorporated parcels of land surrounded completely or substantially by incorporated
lands
CITY
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How Islands were Created…
1960s… County approved development at the urban edges gradually became surrounded
as
city expanded and annexed around it
CITY
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Why Should Islands Annex?
• Increased governmental accountability
• Greater influence over decisions affecting neighborhoods
• Better neighborhood services
• Less confusion about services and regulations
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Why Should Cities Annex Islands?
• Inefficiencies resulting from two agencies providing service in one area
• Residents use city facilities but don’t pay taxes
• Negative impacts on surrounding city
neighborhoods
• Development not consistent with city policies
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Why Should Counties Eliminate Islands?
• Impossible to deliver services efficiently
• Difficult to provide a responsive government
• Municipal Services and urban development responsibilities vs. preserving
open space and farmlands responsibilities
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Why does LAFCO Encourage Island Annexations?
LAFCO’s mission is to:
• Promote logical boundaries and orderly
development
• Preserve agricultural and open space lands
• Discourage urban sprawl
• Ensure efficient delivery of services
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Why don’t Islands Annex?
1. Lengthy, expensive and uncertain annexation process
2. Misinformation about impacts of annexation, negative impressions of city
3. Cities / County lack staff and resources for level of effort required
4. Differences in County standards, satisfaction with status quo
5. No financial advantage for cities
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2005 Island Annexation Law
Annexation of islands that are less than 150 acres may be approved without
protest or elections at a public hearing with notice if annexation proposal
meets certain criteria
Special provision available until January 1, 2014:
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Santa Clara LAFCO’s
Island Annexation Program
1st Step
In cooperation with County, inventoried all islands and prepared maps for each city
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Santa Clara LAFCO’s
Island Annexation Program
• Encourage County to remove incentives for island residents to remain in county by
making its development standards comparable to surrounding city
2nd Step
Adopted Island Annexation Policies in 2005
• Waive LAFCO processing fees
• Encourage cities to complete island annexations prior to seeking further
expansions
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Santa Clara LAFCO’s
Island Annexation Program
3rd Step
Work collaboratively with cities
and County
• Work with County and SBE to reduce annexation mapping / report costs
• Conduct workshops to provide information on annexation process to cities,
help prepare Annexation Answer Books
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Santa Clara LAFCO’s
Island Annexation Program: Results
• Total population annexed: 11,448
Accomplishments…
• # of islands annexed: 77
• # of acres annexed: 1,652
• # of cities participated: 9
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Santa Clara LAFCO’s
Island Annexation Program: Results
…and Challenges
• # of islands remaining (<150 acres): 79
• # of islands remaining (>150 acres): 16
• # of cities that did not participate: 5
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Santa Clara LAFCO’s
Island Annexation Program: Costs
• LAFCO fees waived: $80,000
Over the last five years….
• Costs covered by the County:
SBE fees: $51,650
Annexation maps and reports: $260,253
Road upgrades as incentives in islands slated for annexation: ______