Efforts to give the public access to a stunning hillside parcel that rises from Sonoma’s downtown got a big boost Tuesday. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the transfer of the 98-acre Montini property to the city of Sonoma.

After initially placing a ‘forever wild’ easement on it in exchange for $1 million from the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, Jim and Shirley Modini deeded the property to Audubon Canyon Ranch. The parcel is a haven for plants and wildlife.