That same year the Mexican Congress decided to close all of the missions in Alta California. Mission San Francisco Solano officially ceased to exist on November 3, 1834, when it was designated a First Class Parish. Lieutenant Vallejo was named administrator ("comisionado") to oversee the closing of the Mission under Figueroa's "Reglamento". Vallejo had been instructed to establish a pueblo at the site of the old Mission and he began laying out Sonoma with its residential lots, central square and broad avenue to the south.