Information for Mountain View Estates Residents on
Possible Annexation into the City of Calabasas

The City of Calabasas welcomes Mountain View Estates residents to the Calabasas website.  This page will provide links to information about potential annexation into the City of Calabasas, benefits to joining Calabasas, and frequently asked questions about annexation.

APRIL 2010 UPDATE

On March 18, 2010 the City filed with the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) of Los Angeles County an application and attendant documentation for processing and consideration of the annexation.  Prior to LAFCO consideration of the matter, the city is required to pre-zone the proposed annexation area in conformance with the land use designations in the City's adopted General Plan.  Accordingly, the Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on May 6, 2010 (starting at 7:00pm in the City Council Chambers at City Hall) to consider the pre-zoning and will make a recommendation to the City Council, as required under Chapter 17.76 of the Calabasas Municipal Code.  NOTE: Public notices for the May 6, 2010 Planning Commission public hearing were mailed on April 21, 2010 to all property owners in the Mountain View Estates subdivision, and they were mailed to all property owners within 500 feet of the proposed annexation area. 

The pre-zoning will match the City's zoning districts to the existing land uses in the area.  For example, the city's "Residential - Single Family" zoning will be applied to the existing single-family residential properties in the existing Mountain View Estates subdivision.  Likewise, the open space areas will be pre-zoned to "Open Space - Development Restricted", and the Gates Canyon Park property will be zoned "Recreation", commensurate with that existing use.  All of these land uses and attendant zoning designations conform to the recommendations found in the City's 2030 General Plan.

Benefits of Annexation:

• Ability to serve on Calabasas Commissions and the City Council

• Emergency Response & Preparedness

• Reduced HOA Fees

• Lower planning and permit fees

• Support of Round Meadow PFA/PFC

• Access to Connect-CTY, our city-to-resident Emergency Notification System - Click here to listen to a sample Calabasas Connect-CTY message sent to residents during the 2008 Porter Ranch Fire.

• Monthly e-newsletters and quarterly mailed newsletters

• CTV - The Calabasas Channel featuring award winning original programming and coverage of City meetings, events, and Las Virgenes Unified School District board meetings

• Dial-a-Ride

• Partial school bus reimbursement for middle school students

• Free flu shot clinics for Calabasas residents

• Teen Activities Council

• Prompt resolution of Cable TV Complaints/Issues

Frequently Asked Questions
Residents with unaddressed questions may contact the Community Development Director Maureen Tamuri at (818) 224-1600 or via email at mtamuri@cityofcalabasas.com.

Questions include:

• Q: What costs, if any, will residents be required to pay if Mountain View Estates is annexed?
  
  A: Annexation will have ZERO financial impact on residents.  Property taxes will not be affected and utility taxes currently paid by Mountain View Estates residents are identical to those charged by the City of Calabasas.
   

• Q: How much money will the City of Calabasas receive from Mountain View Estates taxes if it is annexed?

  A: The City of Calabasas currently receives an average of 4.7 cents from every dollar that our residents pay in property tax.  If we assume that the City will receive the same share from Mountain View Estates, the amount coming to the City would be computed as follows:  Property in California is taxed at 1% of assessed value.  Assuming the average home in Mountain View Estates is assessed at $2.0 million, then property tax on that home would be $20,000.  The City would receive .047% of that $20,000, or $940.  Multiplied by the 385 homes in Mountain View Estates, the City would receive $361,900 in property tax annually.
  
  Additionally, Mountain View Estates residents pay the County a 5% Utility Users Tax (UUT).  The City also has a 5% UUT.  Upon annexation, this UUT would come to the City.  Assuming $25 per home per month is paid in UUT, then $9,625 would also come to the City monthly.  On a yearly basis that would come to $115,500.
   
  So, the total amount that the City of Calabasas would receive if Mountain View Estates is annexed would be about $477,400.
   

• Q: How would this money be used?
  
  100% of this money would be spent locally to pay for City services, Sheriff Services, roads, medians, community programs, and everything that makes Calabasas such a great place to live.  Currently, this money is spent throughout the County of Los Angeles.
   

• Q: How was Mountain View Estates identified to be annexed to the City of Calabasas?
  
  A: Calabasas recently adopted a newly updated General Plan which identified several north lying areas "bookended" by Calabasas  as having the potential for being annexed to the City.
   

• Q: What are the major differences in the City and Los Angeles County Municipal Codes?
  
  A: Los Angeles County and Calabasas municipal codes are very similar.  A few points of interest in the Calabasas municipal code include a requirement that mobile car was businesses be licensed to ensure compliance with environmental protection regulations, a requirement that pet owners clean-up  after their pets, and the secondhand smoke control ordinance.
   

• Q: Will Calabasas exercise powers of eminent domain over open spaces owned by Mountain View Estates?
  
  A: No.  The City of Calabasas is known as a protector of open space and has never exercised eminent domain to take any property.  Calabasas is willing to enter into a pre-annexation contract ensuring that the City would never exercise power of eminent domain over any property owned by Mountain View Estates.

Answers to more questions may be found in the Mountain View Estates Annexation Q&A Document (pdf).

Responses to Recently Submitted Resident Questions:

• How would the City’s second-hand smoke control ordinance affect Mountain View Estates residents

• Does the City of Calabasas have “hidden taxes” such as the cost of permits, usage fees etc. that I would have to pay for?

Additional information

	Ordinance No. 2009-1206 - Affirming the City's Intent to the Residents of Mountain View Estates Regarding Preservation of their Designated Open Space
	Meeting notes from August 3, 2009 City Council Meeting
	Power point presentation from City Council Meeting on August 3, 2009 (ppt - 670 kb)
	Letters sent by City to Residents and Mountain View Estates Board of Directors
	Calabasas 2030 General Plan Land Use Map (pdf)
	Los Angeles Times Article from August 30, 1996 - "Mountain View Estates Annexation Rescinded"
	Video of the Calabasas 2009-2011 Budget Presentation at the June 24, 2009 City Council Meeting (Click on Jump To menu and select agenda item #18)
	Landscape Maintenance District Profile

Comparison of Open Space Zoning: LA County vs. City of Calabasas

Submit Questions

Do you have further questions?  Please type them in the form below and click submit.  You will receive a response as soon as possible. Thank you!

Please limit questions to annexation issue only - if interested in purchasing a home in Mountain View Estates, please contact a Real Estate professional. 

Please note that all public records requests must be made directly through the office of the City Clerk.  A Request for Documents form is available on the City website.  Please download fill out and submit the form to view or obtain copies of Calabasas public records.

If you would like to receive copies of documents pertaining to the Mountain View Annexation project, please complete the public records request form and fax it to (818) 225-7324 or email to gpeirce@cityofcalabasas.com.

City of Calabasas © 2012