The City of Calabasas has officially annexed Craftsman's Corner, a landlocked quarter-square-mile community, after the Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission approved a three-way reorganization on Aug. 17, ending a 12-year effort to bring the historic district into the city.
*CALABASAS* — The City of Calabasas has officially annexed Craftsman's Corner, capping a 12-year campaign to bring the landlocked, quarter-square-mile community into city limits after the Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission approved a three-way reorganization on Aug. 17.
The LAFCO action splits the territory among three jurisdictions. Most of the roughly 164-acre area joins Calabasas, while a smaller portion is being annexed into the neighboring enclave of Hidden Hills, which has been Calabasas's only neighbor on that side of the hill for years.
Craftsman's Corner sits tucked between Calabasas and Hidden Hills along the hillsides west of Newhall Pass. The City Council formally launched the current annexation effort in December 2013, but city officials trace the underlying grievance back to Calabasas's 1991 incorporation, when Los Angeles County drew the new city's boundaries and left Craftsman's Corner out.
"We are excited at the prospect of annexing Craftsman's Corner to the City of Calabasas. Los Angeles County wrongfully excluded this area from the City's initial incorporation in 1991," said Mayor James R. Bozajian. "We had made several attempts in the last 35 years to rectify this mistake, and we are relieved that adding this historic district to the City of Calabasas has finally come to pass."
For most Craftsman's Corner residents, day-to-day life will look much the same. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will continue to provide law enforcement, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department will keep handling fire protection. Schools, utilities, waste hauling, street addresses, and postal service all remain unchanged, and property taxes are expected to stay flat.
The annexation does shift the community into Calabasas's local government for the first time. Residents can now vote in city elections, take part in public hearings, and access city programs and services. Planning and land-use authority over the area also transfers from Los Angeles County to the city.
The city has created a dedicated online resource to walk residents, property owners, and businesses through the transition, available at cityofcalabasas.com/our-city/welcome. Property owners with permits or projects already in process with the county are encouraged to contact the Calabasas Community Development Department at (818) 224-1600.
The mayor's office announced the annexation in its Aug. 21 newsletter, which also noted that the council appointed Ed Albrecht, James Bozajian, and David Shapiro to new four-year terms on Aug. 19, canceling the previously scheduled Nov. 3 municipal election and saving the city an estimated $100,000.
This article was generated with AI assistance.