2 Developments Added to Cityhood Proposal

Proponents of cityhood for Rancho Santa Margarita revealed Tuesday that they agreed in a private meeting to push for annexing Robinson Ranch and Dove Canyon as part of the incorporation, which if approved would establish Orange County’s first city of the new millennium.

By including the two residential areas, Rancho Santa Margarita would be entitled to an additional $200,000 a year in property taxes, which would make the new city financially viable, cityhood planners and county officials said Tuesday.

“The issue has always been one of fiscal feasibility. It didn’t matter who was involved,” said Neil Blais, treasurer for the Rancho Santa Margarita cityhood committee. “We obviously hope the citizens of Robinson Ranch and Dove Canyon will support this.”

*

Blais said his group is on track to put the issue on the Nov. 2 ballot. If the measure is approved by a majority of voters in the three communities, the 40,000-resident area would become Orange County’s 33rd city, effective Jan. 1.

Gary Thompson, secretary of the cityhood committee, said expanding the boundaries would allow the group to achieve its three goals: to develop an economically feasible city, to build a community center and to provide additional law enforcement.

Cityhood proponents initially proposed incorporating Rancho Santa Margarita on its own because the predominantly residential communities surrounding it would add no significant revenue.

But officials at the state’s Local Agency Formation Commission, which must approve all incorporations, recommended June 8 at a private meeting of cityhood, county and LAFCO officials that a bigger area would be more practical.

*

“You have to look at the larger picture and long-term effects of building a city,” said Dan Schwarz, a LAFCO policy analyst in Santa Ana.

Many residents in the surrounding communities have been pushing for several months to be included in the cityhood planning.

“I’m pleased to hear that’s the direction the cityhood effort is going,” said Don Chadd, president of the Trabuco Highlands Community Assn., which represents 811 homes in Robinson Ranch.

The county Board of Supervisors, which must approve the agreement, will see details of it at a meeting Tuesday, Schwarz said. LAFCO is expected to approve the proposal June 23, he said.