La Habra Heights council asks staff to study annexing two adjacent Los Angeles County 'islands'

The La Habra Heights City Council directed staff to form a subcommittee to examine the possible annexation of two adjacent unincorporated “islands” of Los Angeles County, after residents and council members raised questions about services, taxes and homeowners‑association rules.

Greg (staff) told the council the areas fall within the city’s sphere of influence and that annexation would move those parcels from County to city jurisdiction, shifting service provision and local permitting. He recommended a due‑diligence analysis and neighborhood outreach before any formal proposal to the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO).

Why it matters: annexation would change who provides services and which assessments or special districts apply, and could alter franchise trash service, fire district assessments and permit processing for affected residents. Council members said those effects must be weighed against potential benefits such as closer fire protection and clearer service boundaries.

Residents who attended asked detailed questions about property taxes, trash collection, police and fire response, and private HOA parks. One resident asked whether base property tax would change; staff said the base property tax rate would remain but additional assessments or district fees could apply. Residents representing a homeowners association emphasized that privately owned parks would remain private and that any annexation would need to respect existing covenants and dues structures.

Council response and next steps: the council appointed a subcommittee (members: Councilmember Brian Bergman and staff member Greg) to perform a focused analysis, review HOA governing documents, and hold public workshops to solicit neighborhood input. Councilmembers emphasized that annexation is a lengthy process that requires LAFCO approval and that the city will return with findings and a public‑workshop schedule; the matter will be agendized for monthly updates.

Quotes from the meeting: “Our primary purpose is to help the county eliminate these islands because it is costly for the county to service islands when they're servicing from miles away,” Greg said as he described anticipated benefits of consolidation. Several residents urged clearer information about how assessments and trash franchises would change if an annexation proceeded.

What’s next: staff will gather HOA covenants and other documentation, analyze fiscal and service implications, convene public workshops and report back to council in the coming months. Any formal annexation would be subject to the multi‑step LAFCO process and public review.