NEWS IN BRIEF

-- Mathis Winkler

The city of Newport Beach’s plans to annex Newport Coast, Santa Ana

Heights and Bay Knolls will take a leap forward tonight if council

members adopt a resolution to apply for the annexation with the state.

The Local Agency Formation Commission, a state agency that includes

representatives from Orange County cities as well as the county itself,

will then make a decision on whether Newport Beach should be allowed to

annex the areas.

Should less than 50% of residents in the areas oppose the annexation,

Newport Beach could incorporate them as early as next March.

While Santa Ana Heights and Bay Knolls residents seem to

overwhelmingly endorse annexation, Newport Coast homeowners have been

more reluctant to offer their support.

To offset taxes that include levies for streets, schools and other

improvements to infrastructure, resident representatives there have

hammered out a deal with the city. According to the plan, the city would

pay residents $18 million over 15 years and set aside $7 million for a

civic center, among other things.

Jim McGee, the president of Newport Coast Committee 2000, said Monday

that his group would meet that night to decide on whether to recommend

that residents support or oppose the annexation.

He added that the city appeared to have agreed on some language

changes in the agreement. At the last council meeting, McGee had said

that with those changes in place, he would hopefully return with an

endorsement of the annexation plans.