Los Alamitos Backs Off Rossmoor Annexation

In what Rossmoor officials might consider a victory, Los Alamitos city leaders adopted a much less aggressive stance toward annexing Rossmoor’s only commercial center at Los Alamitos Boulevard and Katella Avenue.

“We don’t want to force ourselves onto any city…” Los Alamitos Mayor Kenneth Stephens explained at Monday’s City Council meeting.

The City Council opted not to spend nearly $15,000 to hire a pollster to gauge public opinion on the annexation. After canvassing the business owners and apartment dwellers who live at the corner, it seems pointless to spend money on a poll and create expectations among residents that Los Alamitos would annex the property if it’s already apparent that it can’t, City Councilman Troy Edgar said after the meeting.

“I think there is a case to be made for pursuing the corner, but the reaction we are getting from the business owners – or their lack of a reaction – tells me that they are not interested,” Edgar said. “I think the businesses are waiting for Rossmoor to finish their process.”

Community leaders in Rossmoor have voted to pursue authority over animal control, police and planning department services from the county in an effort to fend off pressure from the county to merge with Los Alamitos. It remains to be seen if Rossmoor will be granted such powers or if the county will back off pressure for Rossmoor to merge with another city.

But, in the mean time, the annexation of Rossmoor’s only commercial corner and source of sales tax revenue may no longer be a threat to Rossmoor officials.

In a poll commissioned by the Rossmoor Community Services District, 82 percent of the Rossmoor residents surveyed opposed letting Los Alamitos take Rossmoor’s commercial center.

“It seems to me that they are backing off from taking that corner,” said Mark Nitikman, a member of the Rossmoor Advisory Committee and Rossmoor Homeowners Association. “I think they are going to let the (Rossmoor Community Services District) play out their hand.”

There are seven people and entities that own land within the commercial center, apartment and church properties. If the City Council votes to annex the land, the county’s Local Agency Formation Commission could approve the annexation without a vote of the residents or property owners. It would only go to a vote if 25 to 50 percent of the property owners or registered voters formally protest the annexation.