Keep Your Eyes on LAFCO

LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission) is responsible for coordinating, directing, and overseeing logical and timely changes to local governmental boundaries, including annexation and detachment of territory, incorporation of cities, formation of special districts, and consolidation, merger, and dissolution of districts.

This is an agency that you want to keep your eye on. If you don't, they can gobble your community up in the shake of a lamb's tail and annex it into another community.

Almost all of the commercial district of Bonita was annexed to Chula Vista in the early 1970s.

Another effort to swallow up more of Bonita came to a head in the 1980s. The community was a little less naive on that go-around.

San Diego LAFCO is governed by a 13-member “Commission” comprising county, city, special district, and public members.  All Commissioners are appointed elected officials with the exception of the two public members. Commissioners serve four‐year terms and divided between “regulars” and “alternates” and must exercise their independent judgment on behalf of the interests of residents, landowners, and the public as a whole. Commissioners are subject to standard disclosure requirements and must file annual statements of economic interests. The Commission has sole authority in administering its legislative responsibilities and decisions therein are not subject to an outside appeal process.

"Processing Procedures and Timelines LAFCO proceedings for jurisdictional changes are generally initiated by outside applicants through petitions (landowners or voters), and to a lesser extent by resolutions (local agencies). LAFCOs may also initiate jurisdictional changes to form, consolidate, or dissolve special districts if consistent with the recommendations of approved municipal service reviews. Most jurisdictional change filings take four to six months before they are scheduled for hearing. Requests for outside-of-agency service approvals – which are subject to separate procedures – generally take two months to process." Meghan Traynor letter to LAFCO Board

In discussions with LAFCO, the term "sphere of influence" often comes up. What does that mean? The Oxford Dictionary defines it as "a country or area in which another country has power to affect developments although it has no formal authority."

Below are two active proposals referencing Bonita.

Active Proposals

•••File Number: CO24-14

Proposal Name | Affected Agencies:“Quarry Road LLC Change of Organization” - San Diego County SD: Annexation

Project Manager: Meghan Traynor

Summary: Application submitted in September 2024 by landowner petition and involves annexation of approximately 10.7 acres to the San Diego County Sanitation District for the primary purpose of establishing wastewater services. The affected territory is currently undeveloped with plans of developing a commercial storage facility. The proposal is currently under administrative review with discussions remaining active.

•••File Number(s) SA16-20, LP16-20

Proposal Name | Affected Agencies: “CSA 135 Islands Reorganization” - CSA 135 – LP Fire Area: Latent Powers Expansion - Bonita-Sunnyside FPD: Annexation - Lakeside FPD: Annexation - San Miguel FPD: Annexation - Ramona MWD: Annexation

Project Manager: Staff

Summary: Proposal submitted November 2016 by resolution of the San Diego County Fire Authority. Involved annexation of remaining unserved Islands 2, 3, and 4 via reorganization of local fire service territory among five local agencies: CSA 135; Bonita-Sunnyside FPD; Lakeside FPD; Ramona MWD; and San Miguel FPD. Reorganization involved annexation to the subject agencies and expansion of CSA No. 135’s latent powers to provide fire protection and emergency medical services to three unincorporated and unserved island areas totaling approximately 21,048 acres. Conforming amendments to add the affected territory to the subject agencies’ spheres of influence were also required. The reorganization proposal was approved February 4, 2018 and is now pending recordation once all terms are satisfied. A noticed protest hearing was held on March 13, 2019 at the LAFCO office. No protest was received by affected registered voters or landowners. Other terms remain pending.

[Special District: Fire Protection District]

The following pending proposal is being discussed for annexation in Lemon Grove. The suggested location is actually Caltrans land in Lemon Grove. We have plenty of Caltrans land in Bonita so keep you eyes open and your hearing aid turned up.

The cabins were previously slated for Spring Valley but the residents fought it like a dog with a bone. Because it hasn't settled anywhere yet, it could be coming soon to our community. Stay alert, Bonita!

Pending Proposals

•••File Number: Pending

Proposal Name | Affected Agencies: “Troy St. Sleeping Cabins” - Lemon Grove SD: Detachment - San Diego County SD: Annexation

Project Manager: None listed

Summary: The anticipated reorganization involves detaching from the Lemon Grove Sanitation District and annexing into the County of San Diego Sanitation District. The reorganization would accommodate a proposed project development and construction of approximately 80 sleeping cabins for use as emergency shelters for people experiencing homelessness. Discussions remain active.

The Troy Street Sleeping Cabins are listed as pending on the LAFCO site. But the conceptual design photo above was found on a San Diego County government site.

The Project Phases list state the beginning of construction this summer with completion in the summer of 2026. Hmmmm . . . can you say "cart before the horse"?

Source: San Diego LAFCO website

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