After months of legal wrangling, Sunset Beach is officially part of Huntington Beach.
The tiny beach town with less than 1,500 residents was one of the last unincorporated beach cities in Orange County and had been declared a "small island" because it was less than 150-acres. This island status is what qualified Sunset Beach for "island annexation," which Huntington Beach moved on fairly quickly.
Sunset Beach residents objected to their little enclave by the sea being swallowed by the bigger city of Huntington Beach, saying the annexation was unconstitutional because of the new taxes that would be imposed. However, according to reports, the motivation behind annexation is to offset the cost of providing services to Sunset Beach, such as fire response, water and waste management.
The annexation study indicates little change or fiscal impact for either city. Of course, residents in other small cities that have been taken over by larger cities disagree, saying things always change, promises get broken and their voices get lost in the masses.
What do you think about Sunset Beach becoming part of Huntington Beach?
Comments
I feel bad for the residents of Sunset Beach, if they wanted to live in HB that’s where they would have lived. Then again, if Sunset Beach was all that concerned with it’s independence perhaps the city should have provided it’s own fire, trash, etc. services.
sunset does pay water, trash etc. we do NOT want parking meters in front of our homes, a state beach built on the beach in front of our homes, the HB police harrassing our citizens, all their higher costs for business permits, parking permits, street sweeping tickets,and much more. we just wanted to be left alone!
I feel sorry for the residents of Sunset Beach. They will now be forced to live in the police state called Huntington Beach. Eventually they will be lucky enough to pay higher taxes, drive on roads with potholes so bad it damages your vehicle AND have the pleasure of the helicopter making you feel like it’s a war zone.
I HATE this too. And I live in H.B. I hate our city council, I hate everything that has to do with H.B. except the beach itself, and now they’re going to take over & ruin Sunset Beach, too. It was the last place you could park for free and not have to pay the exhorbinant ridiculous 15.00 parking fee or the stupid parking meters—now that’s going to be gone, too. GREEDY H.B. LEAVE SUNSET BEACH ALONE. I don’t blame them for not wanting this—how did this happen, anyway???? SUCKS. H.B. ruins EVERYTHING it touches.