Because one-third of the site is located in Antioch's Future Urban Area No. 1 Plan, Nunn will have to approach the county's Local Agency Commission to seek a variance that will allow the city to annex the land. Officials and Nunn anticipate that it will be at least a year before the developer approaches the commission.

City officials asked Nunn for a study last month that would provide numbers and information on the kind of financial benefits the development could potentially yield. This week, a project consultant presented the city with a study that suggests each household would pay more in property and sales taxes than it would cost to provide street maintenance and police and fire services. That would result in a net gain of roughly $86 for the city a year per household.

Nunn says he understands the city's concern and notes that residential developments can be costly for a city. He told the city Planning Commission this week that a study on how many jobs the project might create is currently in the works. Plans will be finalized over the next several months.