PALMDALE – Officials from the City of Palmdale and Sun Village gathered at the Palmdale City Council Chamber Monday for a historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in which Palmdale removed its sphere of influence in Sun Village.
Signing the document for Palmdale were Mayor Jim Ledford and Deputy City Clerk Roxanne Faber, while Town Council President Magdalene Lawrence and Secretary Bernadette Moore signed for Sun Village. Other officials present at the signing were Palmdale Councilmember Fred Thompson and Sun Village Town Council Assistant Treasurer Gem Lawrence.
“This is truly a historic event,” said Ledford. “We are recognizing and supporting Sun Village’s desire to become a city and our job is to support them and partner where we can. It is very rare for a city to pull back its sphere of influence, but it is an example of how neighboring communities can work together for the greater good of all.”
“Thank you Palmdale and City Council,” Lawrence said. This is a very historic day for the Antelope Valley and the United States as we are showing the world and our children that we can move on and move forward.”
Councilmember Thompson called the signing “a defining moment for the community.”
At the Sept. 3 Palmdale City Council Meeting, the Council voted to approve an MOU with the Sun Village Town Council.
Over the past several years, City staff had met with representatives of the Sun Village Town Council and Integ Enterprises representatives Kevin Bush and Rich Poston to discuss the Town Council’s desire for future incorporation and to resolve boundary issues relating to zoning, sphere of influence, and the City’s pending annexation of area generally located between Palmdale Boulevard and the alignment of Avenue R-12 and between 80th Street East and the alignment of 85th Street East.
The MOU included the following principles of understanding:
- City acknowledges and supports the goals and objectives of Sun Village to establish themselves as an incorporated City within the County of Los Angeles and State of California.
- Sun Village acknowledges and supports the goals, objectives, and policies of the City of Palmdale and its General Plan as it relates to the Mineral Resource Extraction designated areas located west of the Littlerock Creek and the value of this aggregate resource required for economic growth of the region and the City of Palmdale and Sun Village.
- Sun Village and the City of Palmdale desire to remove Sun Village from the City of Palmdale sphere of influence.
Guided by these underlying principles, the parties endeavor to accomplish the following:
- Modify the City of Palmdale’s Sphere of Influence to exclude Sun Village.
- Complete the pending annexation of area generally located between Palmdale Boulevard and the alignment of Avenue R-12 and between 80th Street East and the alignment of 85th Street East into the City of Palmdale.
- Allow for comment by Sun Village on future aggregate mining operations within the City of Palmdale.
- Support the paving of certain Sun Village roads as part of required mitigation measures related to future development.
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Kirk Collins says
To all concern citizens of the Sun Village community as well as that of Littlerock and surrounding areas, let it be known that at the present time there is not a legal Sun Village board in place. There is a recall on Magdalene Lawrence seat by the community for forfeiting and illegally signing any type of document that would jeopardize the health and safety of a community. Bernadette Moore is not a legal board member, nor is Gim Lawrence, who is currently under investigation for embezzling funds from the Sun Village Town Council account. Bernadette Moore is also being investigated for compromising funds from the account. This a very serious matter in regards to integrity for self and the community. I am asking that all residents of both community move forward to address this issue respectfully. I am truly embarrassed that such lack of integrity would fall on us at this time when things between both the Littlerock and Sun Village community was going so well. Please get involved and contact State representatives as to the actions and discrimination toward a community on behalf of questionable actions. I urge everyone to get involve because your children will suffer the ills of bad politics at worse. Go to meetings in your community, go to the chamber meetings, go to all the meetings you can to stop the act of people like Magdalene Lawrence. Gim Lawrence, and Bernadette Moore from harming the good of a community’s agenda
Sincerely
Kirk Collins / Sun Village Community Activist
soapbox journal says
I recently moved to Littlerock. While looking at the map posted with this article, I am confused, do I live in Littlerock or do I live in Sun Village? I am between 110st and E Ave R.
Greg says
Ave R is Sun Village
Ave S is the start of Littlerock
Greg says
Disregard my prior comment. I found a better map and you are in Littlerock, I forgot about that bump on the north end of town limits.
Robert Lambert says
I too would question the Legality of this. Anytime you intend to put in place anything that would Impact a City,Town or Neighborhood, you’re required to notify residents in the surrounding area, examples of this would be a Bar, Drag Strip, Airport etc. Then a meeting is held to let the populace express their opinion in an open forum, on the surface this appears to be a back room deal, and only made public at the last minute.
According to the article, Palmdale is giving them the right to “Comment” on the mining of Aggregate, So What, anyone who wants too can go to “Any Palmdale City Council Meeting” and comment on what ever they want.
And finally Plamdale will pave “Certain Streets”, really. Does anyone in their right mind, think that the City of Palmdale will do this in the spirit helping their neighbors and not want something in return? How about support from Sun Village in some future Big Business Deal, or some Developer’s Land Grab? Sun Village needs to understand, that the day of the Free Lunch, ended a long ago.
Councilman Hillinger says
I’m not to sure that they can do this legally because of the Southeast Antelope Valley Community Standards District that ties the community of Littlerock and Sun Village together. They would also need the approval of the Littlerock community not to mention the County of Los Angeles. This is something that I’m sure will be unsettled for awhile very interesting though.
Councilman Hillinger says
After reviewing several examples of a MoU.. this really means nothing other than both parties are in agreement in regard to Palmdale’s Sphere of Influence on Sun Village however non of it is legally enforceable.
Eli Nguyen says
For a future governing body, The SUn Village Town Council didn’t even include or attempt to include the vast majority of people living in that area. No mailers or house to house inquiries. They should have discussed their motives, plan of action, and potential repercussions (social, economical, political) on the people in Sun Village. A consensus of a dozen people or so at a meeting doesn’t represent the thousands living in the area.
Palmdale gives Sun Village a couple of paved streets, a guarantee of existence after annexing comercialized areas in the past and keeping potential airport land in its sphere. yeah, good deal says the mugger to the victim. Sell outs.
Tim says
I noticed that there are no Latino or Anglo people represented on the Sun Village Town Council, despite the fact that the majority of the area is Latino and there are more Anglos in Sun Village than African Americans.
Which attorney will step up and sue the Sun Village Town Council for adequate representation?
Hello, Rex? You there?
Eli Nguyen says
I agree the process should have been made more public. But also remember you cant force people to attend these Village COuncil meetings. But its a bad sign for an unelected town council to take represensative political steps which may have negative consequences in the future for everyone living in the SUnvillage/Littlerock area.
Say Wutt says
I notice that there are no African American people represented on the Lancaster City Council. I notice that there is one Hispanic who was appointed to her seat originally. I notice that all of them live in West Lancaster. East Lancaster is home to a large population of Hispanics and African Americans.
Which attorney will step up and sue Lancaster for adequate representation?
Hello, Rex? You there?
CAP'N LANCASTER says
I NOTICED THERE ARE NO LATINO OR AFRICAN AMERICANS ON THE LANCASTER SCHOOL BOARD, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY SERVE A A LARGE POPULATION WITH HISPANICS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS.
WHICH ATTORNEY WILL STEP UP AND SUE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR ADEQUATE REPRESENTATION?
HELLO, REX? YOU THERE?
Question Authority says
Good point. Why aren’t they being sued?
Captain Obvious says
He did sue the Lancaster School District but backed off when they agreed to oppose the power plant. At least that’s what I was told.
Eli Nguyn says
Not really a good will gesture. More like a larger predator acknowledging to a weakling that nothing more to gain. Palmdale has already annexed areas that are being commercialized for resources and commerce. It doesn’t see immediate growth in Sun Village in the future so the goodwill gesture is simply closure in a victimized relationship and impunity for past misdeeds.
Paving some streets and giving up land east of the river. What a bonanza. Hope Sun Village has more than property taxes to pay for their incorporation.
For “an official” act by a future governing board, I’m suprised the SUN Village council didnt go house to house with people or mailers discussing their motives and intended actions and potential repercussions. After all, they represent the majority desires in Sun Village. Same old same old.