Soledad annexation approved, despite a recommendation to grow smarter.

The cities of the Salinas Valley are unique in that each are flanked by agricultural fields. They are like islands in a sea of green, with a visual reminder in every direction of the industry that powers this region and that feeds the world.

It’s an effect that gives at once a sense of smallness – there is an expanse of open space on all sides – and vastness, with a seemingly limitless ability to grow.

Placing limits on growth so that each city still resembles a city, not a sprawling suburb, is in the regional interest. While cities might be inclined to gobble up open land for development, a regional entity, the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), is tasked with thinking about growth from a bird’s-eye view. LAFCO of Monterey County’s mission statement is “to promote orderly growth and development in Monterey County by: encouraging orderly growth of local government agencies; preserving agricultural lands and open space; discouraging urban sprawl; efficiently provide local government services.”

So it should come as no surprise that this regional commission might see things differently than a city seeking LAFCO’s blessing to grow outward. That difference of opinion spurred a fierce disagreement on Monday, Dec. 5, when the city of Soledad asked LAFCO to approve the annexation of 654 acres of agricultural land to the north of current city limits. The idea is that those acres would support a development concept from Nader Agha, who lives in Carmel Valley. The project, Miramonte, includes 2,392 housing units and a projected population of 9,712. If built out, it would increase Soledad’s footprint by 44 percent, and its population by more than 50 percent, as Staff Writer David Schmalz has reported.

The Miramonte details are up to the Soledad City Council. But the expansion of the city’s footprint and plan to support that expansion with new utilities – roads, sewer pipes and the like – is a decision for LAFCO.

“This [decision] will serve as a guide and a precedent for even bigger proposals LAFCO will be seeing in the future,” Executive Officer Kate McKenna told commissioners. “As such, I believe this a watershed moment for our commissioners, and could have very serious consequences to our LAFCO in terms of upholding our laws, practices and procedures. It is important to safeguard both our responsibilities, and achieve the city’s goals. And we believe our recommendations today provide that balance.”

McKenna and the rest of LAFCO staff recommended that commissioners approve a compromise plan – a slower expansion at 50 percent of the proposed size, accounting for economic uncertainty and better planning principles.

Commissioners decided not to heed the recommendation, and voted 6-1 to tentatively approve the plan.

They also decided not to heed the many members of the public who spoke in opposition. Speakers included four Soledad residents (all farmworkers) who called in from the echoey church Nuestra Señora de Soledad, all urging commissioners to deny.

Commissioner Chris Lopez, also a county supervisor whose district includes Soledad, was unmoved by public comments. “There were groups from the Peninsula who reached through the lettuce curtain and intentionally antagonized my community to get them here tonight, confused on this issue,” he said.

The insinuation of “outside groups” having undue influences makes it sound sinister. But nonprofits Center for Community Advocacy and Building Healthy Communities, both of which organized people to speak, exist for precisely this purpose – to correct a power imbalance so that we hear from regular people. It is something we should all be cheering for.

Lopez’s grief was mostly directed at LandWatch Monterey County, which helped Mayor Anna Velazquez organize a town hall meeting to answer community members’ questions about the project. This is exactly the kind of outreach we should expect from our elected officials.

The developer also doesn’t live in Soledad. All too often, a developer dictates what a project will be.

LAFCO is meant to look at the big picture. LAFCO staff looked at this picture, proposed a compromise and commissioners ignored them. As McKenna said: This is a watershed moment.

SARA RUBIN is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@mcweekly.com