Lodi Eye
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Lodi Planning Commission - February 25, 2026
The City of Lodi Planning Commission convenes for a regular meeting with one public hearing item: a Use Permit application (PL2025-020) by Lodi Christian Life to establish a church at 631 East Oak Street in the Industrial (M) zone. Staff recommends approval.
Who Is Aaron Busch? Lodi’s New Interim City Manager
The City of Lodi has appointed Aaron Busch, the recently retired city manager of Vacaville, CA, as its interim city manager — the latest chapter in a leadership crisis that has consumed City Hall for nearly a year and cost taxpayers over $1 million. The City Council discussed the interim recruitment in closed session on February 11 and is expected to formalize the appointment at its February 19 meeting.
Lodi City Council Meeting - February 18, 2026
This is a landmark transitional meeting for the City of Lodi featuring 40+ agenda items. The Council will bid farewell to Community Development Director John Della Monica and Interim City Manager James Lindsay, appoint a new Interim City Manager and City Treasurer, adopt the city’s first comprehensive Economic Development Strategic Plan, approve multiple labor agreements and executive compensation packages, conduct public hearings on water rates and electric utility discount programs, and adopt two ordinances amending the Municipal Code.
Investor-Owned Homes in San Joaquin County & Lodi
California's most affordable counties have become magnets for real estate investors, and San Joaquin County—home to the Stockton-Lodi metropolitan area—is squarely in their sights. Nearly 20% of homes statewide are now owned by investors, with investor purchases accounting for 26.8% of all U.S. residential property sales in Q1 2025. San Joaquin County's relative affordability compared to the Bay Area and Sacramento makes it a prime target, with average home prices roughly 56% lower than in the Bay Area.
This report examines the scale of investor activity, verified ownership data, how investors affect home prices, and the potential consequences for Lodi residents and prospective homebuyers.
Lights Out - History of Movie Theaters in Lodi, California
For over a century, movie theaters have been woven into the fabric of Lodi’s identity—from a humble storefront nickelodeon on School Street in 1908 to the gleaming Streamline Moderne marquee that lit up West Lodi Avenue for 76 years. In January 2026, wrecking equipment arrived at the Sunset Theatre, closing the final chapter on one of Lodi’s most beloved landmarks. This is the full story of how movies came to Lodi, how downtown lost its picture palaces, and why the Sunset’s demolition matters.
Plan Lodi — Comprehensive Planning Overview
The City of Lodi is undertaking a historic multi-year planning effort to shape the community’s future growth, housing, downtown vitality, and expansion. Through the Plan Lodi initiative, the Community Development Department is managing four interconnected planning programs, supported by ongoing modernization of the municipal code. This overview covers each initiative based on official City of Lodi sources.
Lodi Improvement Committee - February 10, 2026
The Lodi Improvement Committee (LIC) will convene its regular meeting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM. This report consolidates the full meeting agenda, minutes from two January 13, 2026 meetings, detailed Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding allocations for the 2024–25 and 2025–26 program years totaling over $1.3 million in combined federal funds, year-over-year comparisons, and the committee’s adopted 2026 goals and task assignments.
The Vanishing Family Wage
In 1975, a single-income family in Lodi could comfortably purchase a home, raise two children, and build savings on one wage earner’s salary from a local agricultural, manufacturing, or public-sector job. The median home cost roughly 2.5 times the median household income. Today, that same home costs more than 6 times the median household income, childcare alone can consume 20–30% of a family’s take-home pay, and the commute required to earn higher wages adds thousands of dollars in annual transportation costs.
Consumer Price Analysis - Lodi & San Joaquin County
Lodi and San Joaquin County residents face a convergence of economic forces driving consumer prices higher across virtually every spending category in early 2026. This analysis examines five interconnected pressure points: federal tariffs on imported goods, the weakening U.S. dollar, global oil market dynamics, California refinery shutdowns, and local utility rate structures. Together, these factors create a compounding effect that raises costs not just at the point of purchase, but throughout the entire supply chain.
Lodi's Current Finances and Projections for 2026-2027
The City of Lodi is navigating a challenging but manageable fiscal environment in FY 2025-26, characterized by a projected $4.8 million structural deficit over the next five years, rising pension costs, and the lingering effects of the business license tax refund issue. The mid-year budget report reveals a complex picture in which revenue shortfalls are offset by unexpected gains in interest income, careful use of prior-year fund balances, and strategic inter-fund transfers.
Lodi's Congressional Representation Under Proposition 50
California's Proposition 50, passed by voters on November 4, 2025, has fundamentally reshaped congressional representation for Lodi residents. The city of approximately 68,000 residents—previously contained entirely within a single congressional district—will now be divided among three districts represented by Representatives Doris Matsui (CA-7), John Garamendi (CA-8), and Josh Harder (CA-9).
Lodi Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting - February 3, 2026
The Lodi Parks and Recreation Commission will convene on February 3, 2026, at 6:00 PM for a critical meeting addressing two major agenda items with citywide implications: the future of Lawrence Park and prospective cell tower installations in city parks.
Lodi Finance Committee Meeting - February 4, 2026
The City of Lodi Finance Committee convened a Special Meeting on February 4, 2026, at the Police Department's Rick Cromwell Community Room to address three principal agenda items: approval of prior meeting minutes, a comprehensive presentation from Public Agency Retirement Services (PARS), and an introduction to the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) process.
Lodi City Council Meeting - February 4, 2026
The February 4, 2026 City Council meeting addresses critical governance and operational matters including executive leadership transitions, labor negotiations, and significant budget adjustments. The agenda features three Closed Session items, nine Consent Calendar items totaling over $800,000 in appropriations, and three major Regular Calendar items including a $2.95 million mid-year budget increase and selection of the permanent Access Center operator.
Lawrence Park: Past, Present and Future
Lawrence Park stands at a critical juncture requiring strategic planning and investment. This comprehensive report examines the park's 102-year history, evaluates current facilities against neighborhood demographics and comparable Lodi parks, and provides evidence-based recommendations for enhancements that would maximize community benefit and economic return.
Pacific Coast Producers' Del Monte Acquisition
Pacific Coast Producers (PCP),has emerged as the successful bidder for Del Monte Foods' shelf-stable canned fruit business assets in a court-supervised bankruptcy auction. The transaction, pending court approval on January 28, 2026, includes inventory of canned fruits and fruit cups along with licensing rights to the iconic Del Monte® and S&W® brands for packaged fruit products in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.
Lodi Finance Committee - January 27, 2026
The City of Lodi Finance Committee convenes on January 27, 2026, to address critical pension funding policy reforms at a pivotal moment in the city's fiscal trajectory. The primary focus is proposed amendments to the Budget and Fiscal Policies that would lower the pension funded ratio target from 80% to 70% and establish a framework for strategic distributions from the city's $29+ million Section 115 Pension Trust.
Lodi City Council Special Meeting - January 28, 2026
The Lodi City Council convenes a special meeting on January 28, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at Hutchins Street Square's Kirst Hall to conduct a comprehensive review and update of the City's Strategic Vision and Protocol Manual. This all-day strategic planning session represents a pivotal governance exercise that will shape the City's priorities and operational framework for Fiscal Year 2026-27 and beyond
The State of Sparkling Wine - January 2026
Rack & Riddle's January 2026 closing of its Lodi facility represents a strategic response to fundamental shifts in the sparkling wine market and broader wine industry headwinds. While sparkling wine remains the sole growth segment in an otherwise declining US wine market, the decision reflects regional competitive dynamics, production efficiency imperatives, and Lodi's particular vulnerability to structural challenges facing California's inland wine regions
Lodi Civic Project Status - January 2026
The City of Lodi, California is executing an ambitious capital improvement program totaling over $291 million citywide for FY 2025-2026, with $16.9 million specifically allocated for essential infrastructure projects. This analysis examines major civic projects currently in planning or under construction.