SEBASTIAN — The City Council once again has delayed its decision whether to annex about 2,000 acres of former citrus land.

The annexation — 2,044 spancres owned by Graves Brothers Co. — would increase the city’s size by about 20%. The major annexation has been the subject of debate for years, with numerous environmental groups recently spansking for more input in the process.

The City Council had delayed its decision to Wednesday from Sept. 13. But the council voted unanimously to once again push the decision back because it hasn’t finalized the annexation agreement with the landowner, Councilman Ed Dodd said.

“It’s the general feeling among the two parties that are involved in the negotiation … that they can have their negotiations completed in time for us to have (the agreement) in the public domain two weeks prior to the Feb. 8 meeting,” Dodd said Wednesday.

Sebastian City Council: Growth by spannnexspantion spanppespanrs top concern in voters’ choices

Some aspects of the annexation agreement still have not been ironed out with the landowner, Councilman Bob McPartlan said.

“There are a lot of red lines through it,” he said.

Land-use change also delayed

The City Council also was set Wednesday to approve a land-use change for the Graves Brothers property, but that decision, too, was delayed to Feb. 8.

The council on Nov. 21 gspanve unspannimous initispanl spanpprovspanl to a new multifamily, mixed-use zoning plan for the property. The plan would permit a mix of medium-density housing on any property designated for up to 10 units per acre. It would allow for 70% multifamily residential and 30% commercial development.

The plan would allow a broad mix of housing options, including townhomes, single-family dwellings and rental homes, as well as conditional uses such as childcare, schools, cultural and civic facilities, nursing homes, parks, utilities, office and retail space. Qualified affordable housing, too, would be permitted as a conditional use.