City officials defended a controversial annexation proposal Thursday night at a town hall meeting at the Ukiah Conference Center, portraying the move as a way to better position Ukiah for future growth.
City Manager Sage Sangiacomo led the presentation, joined by Police Chief Tom Corning, Planning Manager Jesse Davis, and Director of Water and Sewer Sean White. Together, they argued that annexation would improve public services, address fragmented water systems, expand housing opportunities, and ultimately benefit both city and county residents.
“If we limit the potential of our cities, we limit the potential for the revenue generation that comes with it,” Sangiacomo said, calling annexation a tool for economic and infrastructural resilience. He added that fragmented governance outside city boundaries leads to higher costs, inefficiencies, and limited preparedness.
Sangiacomo and other officials asserted annexation could help county residents in the targetted areas by providing better infrastructure and cheaper permits.
White, the city’s water director, pointed to the benefits of unifying fragmented water service providers like Millview, Willow, and the Ukiah Valley Sanitation District. He noted that water rates in Millview are currently comparable to the city’s, but warned that rates are likely to rise regardless of annexation due to inflation and upcoming rate studies. “Chlorine, electricity, and submersible pumps are not getting cheaper,” he said.
White also clarified the city is not planning to expand physical infrastructure and that property owners will not be required to connect to city water or sewer systems after annexation.
A well-owner in an area targetted for annexation asked White if they can keep their well. "The answer is yes," White said.
On the topic of housing, Sangiacomo tied annexation to Ukiah’s ability to address a long-standing regional housing shortage. “We need housing in this community,” he said. “When my kids come back, I’d like them to be able to buy a house.”
However, Planning Manager Jesse Davis said that development is not planned for the parcels targeted for annexation. “We’re not growing or developing. We’re annexing the existing area that’s built-out,” Davis said.
Davis said concerns about zoning and lifestyle changes were largely unfounded. The city would retain agricultural zoning and adopt the county’s policies under the Williamson Act to preserve farmland. Chickens and existing noise ordinances would also remain unchanged.
“Chickens are part of animal-raising under the county code, and that stays the same,” Davis said.
Corning, Ukiah’s police chief, said the proposed annexation would lead to more officers on the streets. “The tentative plan post-annexation would be to increase each shift by at least two officers, depending on resources, recruitment, and the final boundaries,” he said. “This would directly improve community safety.”
Throughout the evening, city officials emphasized that the proposal remains flexible. “We’re committed to input, dialogue, and continuing this until—if—we have something here at the end of it,” Sangiacomo said.