RESOLUTION NO. 2025-12
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GONZALES APPROVING THE INITIATION OF A 771-ACRE ANNEXATION REQUEST WITH
THE MONTEREY COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
WHEREAS, the adopted City of Gonzales 2010 General Plan defines and designates certain lands for urban growth and development within areas designated by the General Plan; and WHEREAS, the City of Gonzales and the County of Monterey developed, adopted, and signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in 2014, incorporated herein by reference, to cooperate on common planning, growth, and development issues; and WHEREAS, the MOA established planning principles for both parties to promote logical and orderly development, direct development away from the best agricultural lands, stay within the urban growth boundary established by the City’s General Plan and the MOA, and provide compact urban form development through the use of specific plans; and WHEREAS, initiation of annexation proceedings is the logical progression as a result of the negotiated planning agreements over the last ten years since the 2014 Sphere of Influence amendment; and
WHEREAS, the Monterey County Local Agency Formation Commission (“LAFCo”) is the agency with jurisdiction over Sphere of Influence (SOI) amendments and reorganizations of boundaries within Monterey County; and
WHEREAS, the City of Gonzales Planning Commission and City Council members held a joint duly noticed public workshop on November 12, 2024 to review the previous plan area and project history, past actions, the current plan area and project description, available documentation on the project, currently proposed actions, and to hear public testimony; and WHEREAS, on March 10th, 2025, the Planning Commission conducted a noticed public hearing to consider a recommendation to the City Council for initiating reorganization proceedings, and considered the Staff Report and oral report for this item; and
WHEREAS, notice of the public hearing on this resolution was given and published in the manner required by law and by the City of Gonzales, and the public hearing on this resolution was held on September 2nd, 2025 before the City Council; and WHEREAS, the City of Gonzales City Council complied with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), and considered and recommended certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report for the City of Gonzales 2010 General Plan, the 2014 General Plan EIR Sphere of Influence Expansion Addendum and the City Council has certified the Final Environmental Impact Report for the proposed Vista Lucia Project; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Gonzales finds that the principal reasons for the proposed reorganization of boundaries, including annexation to the City of Gonzales, are as follows:
1. The City Council finds that the proposed reorganization (annexation) is consistent with and facilitates the fulfillment of the goals, policies and objectives set forth in the City of Gonzales General Plan; and
2. The plan area and subject property is proposed for future development pursuant to the 2010 Gonzales General Plan, and the proposed General Plan Amendment which are incorporated herein by reference; and
3. The City Council recommends that the City initiate consultation with Monterey County and LAFCo for the reorganization; and
4. The City Council finds that this Reorganization, including Annexation, will not create islands or other discontiguous parcels within the City, because the plan area and subject properties are contiguous with the existing City of Gonzales limits; and
5. The City Council requests the preparation of an annexation area “Plan for Services”, and to include these documents in any application submittal to LAFCo for a Reorganization, including Annexation, of the Subject Property; and
6. The City Council further finds that this LAFCo Reorganization/Annexation will promote the general health, safety and welfare of the community; and
7. The City Council finds that the proposed reorganization fosters responsible and balanced growth by preserving agricultural lands as long as possible that benefits both local communities and the agricultural sector; and
8. The City Council finds that the project will result in promoting responsible urban expansion through a phased approach in accordance with the Monterey County LAFCo 2024 Agricultural Preservation Policy Amendment.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Gonzales requests the initiation of LAFCo proceedings to reorganize boundaries and annex 771 acres of property (“Subject Property”) to the city as illustrated on a map prepared by the Cielo Grande Ranch, LLC engineer as shown in “Exhibit A”, incorporated herein by reference, and which property currently consists of Assessor’s Parcel Number 223-031-024, -025 and -027 located east of Fanoe Road to the City of Gonzales as follows:
1. All of the recitals set forth above are true and correct to the best of the Planning Commission’s knowledge, and are incorporated herein by reference and made part of this resolution by this reference; and
2. That the City Council finds that it has been provided with and reviewed all evidence available in the administrative record to support the findings of project consideration, as well as the Staff Report, presentation by staff, written and oral testimony (collectively, the “Record of Proceedings”), and hereby provides notification that the Record of Proceedings is on file with the clerk of the City of Gonzales; and
3. The City Council finds that it has reviewed and certified the Vista Lucia Project Final Environmental Impact Report and related Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program and CEQA Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Consideration, both of which are incorporated herein by reference; and
4. Finds that, after reviewing the public record, findings supported by evidence in the record provide cause for the City Council to approve a request for the Reorganization and Annexation to the Local Agency Formation Commission of Monterey County; and
5. The City Council, as supporting evidence for the proposed annexation, approves the submission of a “Plan for Services” to LAFCo with the City’s request for Reorganization and Annexation, of the subject property as illustrated in “Exhibit B” attached hereto.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 2nd day of September 2025, by the City Council of the City of Gonzales, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
______________________________
Jose L. Rios, The Honorable Mayor
ATTEST:
___________________________________
Mary Villegas, Deputy City Clerk
Exhibit A: Annexation/ Recognition Map
Exhibit B: Plan for Service
See the following link: https://gonzalesca.gov/node/673