Sapling 2.0 Is Still the Wrong Plan

Ukiah, CA – August 3, 2026 – The City of Ukiah can call it "Sapling 2.0," but changing the name doesn't change the reality.

This is essentially the same annexation proposal the community has already rejected. Aside from adding the Brush Street Triangle at the request of those property owners and removing a small area of Williamson Act land that should never have been included in the first place, the proposal remains fundamentally unchanged.

An independent survey of affected property owners found that nearly 80% oppose annexation, while fewer than 10% support it. Nothing in the City's latest announcement suggests that public opinion has changed because it hasn't.

Instead of accepting the overwhelming opposition from the people who would actually be affected, the City continues to spend taxpayer dollars on consultants, studies, videos, mailers, public outreach campaigns, and staff time promoting a proposal that residents have consistently rejected. Renaming the proposal and making minor boundary adjustments does not address the concerns repeatedly raised by the community.

The City's latest press release repeats many of the same promises we've heard for months – that annexation will improve housing, water reliability, wildfire resilience, economic development, and regional coordination. These are important regional issues, but simply expanding the City's boundaries does not automatically solve them. Effective collaboration between local governments has always been possible without forcing unwilling neighborhoods into the City.

No Ukiah Annexation remains firmly opposed to the Sapling 2.0 proposal. The City's decision to repackage essentially the same annexation plan does not change the fact that the vast majority of affected residents remain opposed.

A new name, a revised map, and another press release do not create public support. Sapling 2.0 is still annexation, and our position remains unchanged: the City should respect the wishes of the community, stop spending taxpayer dollars promoting a proposal that lacks public support, and move on.