NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Rezoning and Vacation of Public Right-of-Way
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Commission of the City of Sonora will conduct a public hearing at 5:30 PM, or shortly thereafter, on MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2026 in the City of Sonora Council Chambers located at 94 N. Washington Street, Sonora, CA for the purpose of considering the matters described below.
Rezone / Vacation of Public Right-of-Way: The applicant of the project, California Gold Development Corporation, has requested certain City actions affecting a portion of APN 056-570-059 (approximately 19,286 square feet in total), located at the intersection of Old Wards Ferry Road and Sanguinetti Road. The affected property includes two separate parcels owned by the City of Sonora and divided by the Sierra Railroad (Parcel 1 of approximately 13,418 square feet south of the Sierra Railroad, and Parcel 2 of approximately 5,868 square feet north of the Sierra Railroad). This subject property is at the northwest corner of the Crossroads shopping center area (Sanguinetti at Old Wards Ferry).
Parcel 1 is proposed to be rezoned from “Open Space” to “General Commercial.” Parcel 2 is zoned as “Open Space” and no rezoning is proposed for this parcel. The proposed actions at this time do not involve any site development or design review application, and only involve the rezoning and right-of-way vacation actions described in this notice.
Parcels 1 and 2 were formerly dedicated to the City for public right-of-way and transportation purposes. Based on City staff’s review of title records, the original design of this intersection alignment never occurred, and the parcels were left as open space. Parcels 1 and 2 are proposed to be formally vacated by the City under the California Steets and Highways Code as excess right-of-way and transferred to the applicant for its ownership, subject to an agreement between the City and the applicant. Parcel 2 is proposed to remain under the “Open Space” zoning designation.
At this public hearing, the Planning Commission will consider making a recommendation to the City Council regarding the proposed rezoning and vacation of public right-of-way. City staff has reviewed the rezoning and vacation actions under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). No physical development of the site is occurring at this time, and any future site plan applications will be reviewed in accordance with CEQA at the time of project submittals. City staff has determined that the proposed rezoning and vacation actions are exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines § 15061(b)(3) (Commonsense Exemption), CEQA Guidelines § 15312 (Surplus Government Property Sales), and CEQA Guidelines § 15305 (Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations).
THIS MEETING WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THE PUBLIC WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT. All interested parties are invited to participate in the public hearing to express opinions or submit evidence for or against the approval of the items above. At the above noted time and place, in-person testimony will be heard and considered by the City Council prior to taking action or making any recommendation.
Written comments will be accepted prior to the start of the meeting and can be submitted to the City department contact information provided below. Information regarding the public hearing will be available at City Hall and with the City department identified below.
Upon request, the agenda and the documents in the meeting agenda packet can be made available to persons with a disability. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City encourages those with disabilities to participate fully in the meeting process. Any person requiring special assistance to participate in the meeting should call 209-532-3508 Ext. 2 at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting.
Interested individuals will be given an opportunity to speak in favor or opposition to the above proposed action. If a challenge to the above proposed action is made in court, persons may be limited to raising only those issues they or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City at or before the above referenced public hearing. (Government Code § 65009(b)(2).)
City of Sonora Department Contact:
Tyler Summersett, Community Development Director
Sonora City Hall
94 N. Washington Street
Sonora, CA 95370
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 209-532-3508, Ext. 201
Tyler Summersett
Community Development Director