Lincoln Acres, an Island on the Land, Rattled Again by Annexation Talk

In the community of Lincoln Acres, any stretch of land can make a world of difference. 

That’s because the neighborhood is located within National City, making it one of San Diego’s “county islands.” And it can lead to confusion: Which land use policies apply? Which law enforcement agency responds to calls?

Though small — just 2,000 residents live in the roughly 220-acre community — Lincoln Acres residents are vocal about their neighborhood pride. Some are especially vocal when the community’s tricky boundaries tempt the idea of annexation from time to time.

There don’t appear to be any official annexation efforts right now, but that didn’t stop some residents from organizing a recent meeting about the issue. A flyer for the February event read: “A silent storm is brewing and it is smelling like annexation!!”

Here’s what to know about the community’s history of annexation talks.

The origins of Lincoln Acres

Both Lincoln Acres and National City were born out of the purchase of a Mexican land grant known as the Spanish Rancho de la Nación. It was later bought in the late 1800s by National City founder Frank Kimball and his brothers.

After a few ownership exchanges, the land now known as Lincoln Acres made its way to Reuben Harrison, who plotted out the first four subdivisions by 1924.

Lincoln Acres was larger then. In the 1960s, the construction of today’s Interstate 805 prompted the state to demolish homes in the western area and eastern National City.

Lincoln Acres is now known as a county island, along with Greenwood, which is solely made up of a cemetery, and an area near Miramar that is occupied by a horse breeding stable.

Because county islands have no planned commercial or industrial lands, annexation has been used to address zoning issues in the area.

The annexation debate

The idea of absorbing Lincoln Acres has been discussed since at least 1950, when National City began sending letters to all property owners seeking their support for annexation.

Those who opposed had concerns about zoning — whether annexation would bring more high-density apartments and condos — as well as higher taxes, according to “Lincoln Acres: A Centennial History,” a book that details the community’s history of the county island.

In 1986, a group of Lincoln Acres residents submitted a request to be annexed to the San Diego Local Agency Formation Commission. The move ultimately failed.

In 2019, a portion of Lincoln Acres was annexed to accommodate the construction of a 5,500-square-foot commercial hub on Sweetwater Road. The area was rezoned from small lot residential to mixed use.

In total, about 50 acres were annexed as well for adjacent and uninhabited land for public purposes.

“When I learned that 50 acres was annexed without the citizens’ vote, I became untrustworthy of any local government entity, so I started attending meetings,” Lincoln Acres resident Alisha Morrison told inewsource in a recent interview. She has been monitoring potential annexation talks since then and organized the community meeting in February.

While the project was approved, it was never completed and the permit expired. Now, the latest proposal for the annexed land includes a convenience store, gas station, car wash and five-unit apartment building, and is at the center of a lawsuit filed against National City earlier this year. The City Council is expected to discuss the project again during a meeting tonight. 

Even with its independent status, Lincoln Acres is included in National City’s “sphere of influence” — defined by the state as “the probable physical boundary and service area of a local agency.” Any annexation efforts go through the San Diego LAFCO. LAFCOs are political subdivisions across the state that are charged with handling such matters and other regional planning decisions.

“We’re concerned every little piecemeal annexation is another bite of the apple that pretty soon we’re going to be left with nothing but a core,” longtime resident Butch Fimpel said.

There have been talks…

Morrison said she heard earlier this year that people from National City were exploring an interest in annexing Lincoln Acres, prompting her to launch a petition as a preemptive measure. Over 200 signatures were collected.

“I reached out to Butch, and Butch said, ‘Start making some flyers, and we’ll just start knocking on some doors, and we’ll have a meeting’,” said Morrison.

National City Councilmember Marcus Bush acknowledged that he started the most recent conversation about annexation.

“I noticed growing up in Lincoln Acres is that we didn’t have the same services as National City does, ” Bush said at a City Council meeting in February. “So when it comes to graffiti response, when it comes to law enforcement, it’s not the same level of service.”

Bush, whose district borders the community, told inewsource that while the city is not actively pursuing annexation, he remains personally interested in exploring the issue and that any proposal should include an analysis of the impact on taxes and zoning.

by Hannah Psalma Ramirez | May 6, 2025 | inewsource

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