Businesses, farmers urge commissioners to remove industrial and ag parcels from annexation map

Representatives of local industry and owners of agricultural land urged the Planning Commission to exclude certain parcels from the proposed annexation area, saying splitting facilities or including ag land without clear benefits would create costs and uncertainty. Eileen Russell, representing Mendocino Forest Products and Mendocino Redwood Company, said the proposal "includes only some of the parcels that make up the sawmill complex," creating "a jurisdictional divide within one integrated industrial operation" that could complicate permitting, infrastructure planning and compliance.

Multiple small business owners and farmers echoed concerns about new costs. Commissioner Brown and business owners raised the proposed city business license structure as a substantial change from a $40 fee for many operations; Brown warned that a higher gross‑receipts based license could particularly burden low‑margin, high‑volume industries. Several speakers asked for grandfathering or other mitigation for businesses that would face sudden increases in regulatory or utility costs if annexed.