Commissions to meet on area annexations

Costa Mesa City Council members decided Tuesday to back a plan that would give them a crack at annexing some of the largely undeveloped Banning Ranch, which borders Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.

Leaders from both cities will meet today with Orange County’s Local Agency Formation Commission, which decides annexations, to talk about whether unincorporated West Santa Ana Heights will be annexed to Newport Beach. Commission staff last week suggested three options: annexing West Santa Ana Heights to Newport Beach now, doing nothing, or annexing it in three phases with several conditions.

Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach, and now Costa Mesa, support the third option, which would require Newport Beach to give up part of a one-foot-wide strip of city property that essentially buffers Banning Ranch from being annexed to another city.

“It is a comprehensive and equitable solution to the remaining issues between Costa Mesa and the city of Newport Beach,” Costa Mesa City Atty. Kimberly Hall Barlow said.

But giving up anything may be a deal-breaker for Newport Beach, where city leaders have pointed out that annexing West Santa Ana Heights wasn’t their idea — residents and the commission asked them to.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission discusses annexation issues between Newport Beach and Costa Mesa

WHEN: 9 a.m. today

WHERE: Orange County Hall of Administration, 10 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana

INFO: (714) 834-2556