Huntington Beach’s efforts to annex Sunset Beach may be slowing down. 

A Superior Court judge has granted a one-month hold to review the practices and methods Huntington Beach followed as it moved to annex its neighbor.

This action comes at the request of a group of Sunset Beach citizens who oppose the annexation.

The question to be decided, among others, is whether annexation means extending the borders of taxes. In other words, Huntington Beach currently pays a utility user tax, which Sunset Beach does not. Part of the annexation plan requires the people in the future, former-Sunset Beach to pay the same tax.

Does that tax’s application fall under Prop 218? If so, has Huntington Beach’s plans violated Prop 218?

From the Orange County Register:

Huntington Beach’s annexation of Sunset Beach will be put on hold for at least a month while a Superior Court judge reviews whether the city and county officials went about the process the right way.

A hearing has been set for March 2 to further consider a lawsuit filed by a Sunset Beach resident’s group that called for the Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission to hold off on officially recording the annexation, said Ben Legbandt of LAFCO.

Read the full article here.