A decade-long land-use battle has officially concluded after the Sonoma City Council voted unanimously to approve three large homes on the slopes of Schocken Hill.
The Sonoma Index-Tribune reports the controversial Brazil Hillside Projects first entered the city’s radar in 2015 but faced fierce neighborhood pushback and legal gridlock over ridge preservation and environmental concerns.
The deadlock broke following a court settlement that forced the developer to significantly scale down the designs, eliminate second stories, and adhere to strict local topography rules. During the final public hearing, council members debated fire safety, water runoff, and tree clearance before granting a six-year window for construction.
The developer will also contribute 50,000 dollars to the city’s affordable housing fund as part of the agreement.