Planning staff briefed the Concord City Council on two land-use items scheduled for a public hearing on Thursday: a petition to close two unopened and unimproved right-of-way areas at the Hermitage Road and Winfield Boulevard intersection and a voluntary annexation petition covering approximately 13.4 acres intended to extend Vulcan's overburden storage area.

Fred, the city's senior planner, said the right-of-way area is an unopened 3,400-square-foot parcel on the southwest quadrant of the intersection; the applicant for the closure is Carolyn Tucker, the sole adjoining owner. Staff reported there are no utilities in the closure area and that no objections were received from reviewing departments. Council will hold a public hearing Thursday and could adopt or deny a resolution of closure following public comment.

On the annexation, Fred said the three parcels (owned by CalMat Company, Vulcan Lands Inc., and Gerald and Kimberly Henson, and submitted by Suzanne Todd) would be annexed into District 5 if approved; the applicants have requested subsequent rezoning to I-2 (general industrial) and a land use plan amendment to industrial employment, which would return to council and Planning & Zoning for formal consideration.

Council members who visited the site described the operation and raised questions about access and buffering. Staff confirmed vehicular access would be via the existing Vulcan entrance and noted that an existing 50-foot undisturbed buffer and other regulatory measures apply before any berm construction. Council members emphasized notice and the forthcoming public hearing as the appropriate forum for public input.

What happens next: both items are scheduled for public hearings at the council's regular meeting Thursday; annexation would require subsequent zoning and land use plan amendment steps if council acts to annex.