The Riverside Local Agency Formation Commission on July 24 approved a reorganization that annexes the 377-acre Pocket 7 (P7) and Mesquite area into the City of Coachella and into the city’s fire and sanitary subsidiary districts, after the city confirmed it would succeed four active Williamson Act agricultural preserves within the proposed boundary.

LAFCO staff told the commission the annexation area includes the Vista Santa Rosa community and mixes developed and undeveloped parcels, with the staff estimate of 172 residents, about 50 dwelling units and 83 registered voters in the annexation area. Crystal Craig said the city took a July 9 resolution to succeed to the Williamson Act contracts, satisfying LAFCO policy that generally requires termination or succession of active land-conservation contracts prior to annexation.

The annexation also detaches the area from Coachella Valley Water District and from a county lighting CSA (County Service Area 125) and from the Riverside County Waste Resources Management District. Craig noted the boundaries include an enhanced infrastructure financing district (EIFD) but emphasized the EIFD is a financing mechanism and “not a new tax imposed on property owners.”

City consultant Ron Goldman said the city supports the proposal and had worked with LAFCO staff for several years on the application. No public opponents spoke at the hearing; staff recommended conditional approval pending the protest process because the proposal did not have 100% landowner consent. The commission approved the reorganization and directed staff to hold the statutorily required protest hearing to finalize the annexation process.

Craig said staff commended the city for community outreach conducted in the annexation area and confirmed that Department of Conservation notice requirements for Williamson Act changes were satisfied by the city’s succession resolution.

The annexation proceeds to the protest hearing phase under the standard LAFCO process; staff will prepare the resolution and record the necessary documents after the hearing and any required protest-count determination.