The council opened a public hearing on a petition to annex a portion of right-of-way (approximately 1.364 acres) currently in the county toward accommodating a proposed Sonoma Phase 2 residential subdivision. Staff said the annexation request comes at the county's request to transfer maintenance responsibility and to enable infrastructural work for the proposed phase 2 development.

Staff and applicant remarks
Planning staff explained the process: state law requires public hearings when a right of way maintained by the county is proposed for annexation. City staff said the intent is to allow for future extension of the existing collector roadway (Holmig Lane) and for the developer to provide necessary utility extensions and roadway improvements to serve the upcoming phase 2. The applicant's representative said the annexation will allow the developer to widen the roadway, extend utilities and improve access; the developer reiterated willingness to improve the lane if annexation proceeds.

Public comment
Speakers included the property owner and neighbors who said they had engaged with the developer and supported the proposal as revised; one speaker described the developer as experienced and said additional clarifications made since a prior denial had resolved earlier issues.

Next steps
Staff said two required public hearings would be held (this was the first); a subsequent hearing and an annexation ordinance would return to council at a later meeting. Staff indicated the land-use and zoning petition for Sonoma Phase 2 will proceed through Planning & Zoning and later council consideration with a more detailed development submittal.