Just past Montclair’s city limits are several neighborhoods that many of us already see as part of our community. People who live there shop at our stores, send their kids to our schools, and drive our streets every day. But officially, these neighborhoods are not part of the City. They belong to San Bernardino County, and together they are known as Montclair’s Sphere of Influence. The City and the County are now working together on a long range plan for these neighborhoods. Before we go further, here is what a few common terms mean.

What is a Sphere of Influence?

A Sphere of Influence, often shortened to SOI, is an area next to a city where that city is expected to grow and someday provide services. Being in the SOI does not change anything today. Residents still live in the County and still get their services from the County. The SOI simply helps everyone plan ahead, so that if city services like water, sewer, police, and fire ever reach the area, it happens in a thoughtful, organized way. Montclair’s SOI is home to about 6,900 people in roughly 1,790 households, mostly south of Mission Boulevard down to Phillips Boulevard.

Who is LAFCO, and what does it do?

LAFCO stands for the Local Agency Formation Commission. It is an independent board set up by the State of California, and every county has one. It is not part of the City or the County. Its members include County Supervisors, City Council members, representatives of local service districts (such as water districts), and a member of the public.

LAFCO draws the Sphere of Influence boundary for each city and reviews it every five years. It also decides whether a city can bring nearby County land into the city, which is called annexation. When LAFCO makes these decisions, its goals are to prevent scattered, unplanned growth, protect open space and farmland, and make sure services like water and fire protection are provided well. LAFCO does not decide what can be built on a property. That is up to cities and counties.

Conserve, enrich, connect, transform

First, residents should know this: the established neighborhoods in the SOI are not being targeted for change. The top priority is to keep these neighborhoods as they are and take good care of them, with repairs and improvements that residents themselves ask for.

Beyond that, the plan has three goals:

• Enrich. Make sure everyone feels included, whether they rent or own, and whether they have lived here for decades or just moved in.
• Connect. Make it easier and safer for residents to get to jobs, schools, services, and public transit.
• Transform. Bring new businesses, jobs, and amenities to empty or underused lots along the main streets, without disrupting existing neighborhoods.

It is important to know that this plan does not make any property part of the City. If that ever happens, it would go through LAFCO, with its own review and chances for the public to weigh in. What the plan does is give everyone a clear picture of what the future could look like and what it would take to get there.

The SOI Specific Plan is about planning ahead, not changing things today. It describes what the City would plan for if annexation were ever to occur, so that residents, property owners, and businesses all share the same picture of the future.

We want to hear from you. Watch this site for workshop dates, project updates, and answers to common questions.