Orange and Los Angeles Counties May Swap Portions of Los Alamitos, Long Beach and Seal Beach

Unbeknownst to five families living on Toland Avenue, they are residents of both Los Alamitos and Long Beach. That’s because their properties straddle the line between Los Angeles and Orange counties.

However, that could soon change. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to move forward with plans to shift portions of the boundary between the two counties. The board will hold a public hearing on the matter May 10.  

The suggested changes essentially involve a land swap, with about 36 acres going from Orange to Los Angeles County and about 42 acres from Los Angeles to Orange. Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach prompted the proposal.   Long Beach, Los Alamitos and Seal Beach all have parcels that are subject to change.

The changes are unlikely to affect many people. Mainly, the parcels are unoccupied plots along a flood control channel and a rock jetty. They include a bike path and a parking lot.  

However, the five residential lots on Toland Avenue in Los Alamitos are included in the plans. The five homes have backyards that are partly in Long Beach. The changes are intended to align legal boundaries with property ownership and physical barriers such as the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway. The shift would also clarify jurisdiction for services, according to county authorities. (See a pdf of the report at right.)

City News Service contributed to this report.