Lodi Planning Commission - September 23, 2026
Lodi Planning Commission — Regular Meeting
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 — 7:00 p.m.
Carnegie Forum, 305 West Pine Street, Lodi, CA 95240
Chair Hicks | Vice Chair Singh | Commissioners Woehl, McNickle, Lydon, Diehl
Summary
The September 23, 2026 Lodi Planning Commission Regular Meeting is a short, two-hearing sitting. Both items are quasi-judicial and require ex parte disclosures under Resolution No. 2006-31. Neither reopens the underlying environmental analysis: staff relies on categorical exemptions and a Section 15162 finding on the 2025 Maverik Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration.
Item 4a is a Tentative Parcel Map to split one lot into two at 401 North Ham Lane in an RMD (Residential Medium Density) infill setting on 10,700 square feet. Staff argues the site is already two legal lots dating to a 1957 conveyance and this action only re-divides the western legal lot. Item 4b is a Use Permit authorizing a Type 21 off-sale ABC license (beer, wine, and distilled spirits) at a proposed Maverik convenience store and gas station at 4872 East Kettleman Lane — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at a freeway-adjacent parcel that was annexed into the City by LAFCO on August 26, 2026. Because ABC has classified the entire City as overconcentrated with alcohol licenses, the Commission must also make a Public Convenience or Necessity (PCN) finding.
Meeting Details
Date & Time: Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Location: Carnegie Forum, 305 West Pine Street, Lodi, CA 95240 (in-person)
Zoom Webinar: Meeting ID 824 8423 0393, Passcode 551089, or dial 1‑669‑444‑9171 / 1‑346‑248‑7799
Live Video: youtube.com/CityofLodi
Commissioners: Chair Hicks, Vice Chair Singh, Commissioners Woehl, McNickle, Lydon, and Diehl
Community Development Contact: Administrative Assistant Jessica Pagán, (209) 333-6711
Public Comment: In-person at Carnegie Forum; by Zoom during the meeting; by email to pccomments@lodi.gov received no later than 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting; by mail to Community Development Department, P.O. Box 3006, Lodi, CA 95241; or hand-delivered to 221 W. Pine Street, Lodi, CA 95240 by 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting.
Appeals: Planning Commission decisions may be appealed to the City Council within 10 business days by filing a written appeal with the City Clerk and paying a $300 appeal fee, per Lodi Municipal Code §17.70.050.
Ex Parte and §84308: Both public hearings are quasi-judicial. Commissioners must disclose ex parte communications on the record and disclose any campaign contributions greater than $250 in the last 12 months from an applicant, contractor, agent, or interested participant per Government Code §84308.
Agenda
1. Roll Call
2. Minutes — August 26, 2026
Approval of the minutes from the August 26, 2026 Regular Meeting. Those minutes are included in the packet and document two approvals: a Housing Authority parcel map at 2001 South Stockton Street (unanimous) and a Use Permit for three Rogers Media electronic message signs on City property (3-1, Woehl dissenting), the latter approved the same evening the Site Plan and Architectural Review Committee (SPARC) denied the sign application.
3. Comments by the Public (Non-Agenda Items)
Individuals are limited to one appearance during this section.
4. Public Hearings
The two items below are quasi-judicial and require ex parte disclosures per Resolution No. 2006-31.
4a 401 North Ham Lane — Tentative Parcel Map (PL2026-013)
Adopt a resolution approving a Tentative Parcel Map to divide one parcel into two parcels at 401 North Ham Lane. Applicant Jeff Gates; property owner Olive Branch, LLC. CEQA: Categorical Exemption, CEQA Guidelines §15315 (Class 15 — Minor Land Divisions). Staff recommends approval.
4b 4872 East Kettleman Lane — Maverik Use Permit for Type 21 ABC License (PL2023-042 U)
Adopt a resolution approving a Use Permit authorizing a Type 21 ABC license for the off-site sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits at a new Maverik convenience store and gas station at 4872 East Kettleman Lane. Applicant FJ Management, Inc. CEQA: No further review required per CEQA Guidelines §15162 (relies on the 2025 Maverik Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, SCH No. 2024030646). Staff recommends approval and a Public Convenience or Necessity finding.
5. Planning Matters / Follow-Up Items
6. Announcements and Correspondence
7. Actions of the City Council
At the August 26, 2026 meeting, staff advised that the LAFCO-approved Maverik annexation would be brought to the City Council in the near future. A verbal Council-actions update from staff is expected under this item.
8. Actions of the Site Plan and Architectural Review Committee
Watch for a SPARC update on the concurrent Maverik site-plan application (PL2023-043). SPARC review of the Maverik convenience store and fueling design is scheduled to run concurrent with the Use Permit hearing.
9. Comments by the Planning Commissioners & Staff (Non-Agenda Items)
10. Adjournment
Agenda posted per Government Code §54954.2(a) at least 72 hours in advance at a publicly accessible location. The next Regular Meeting is scheduled for October 14, 2026 per staff comments at the August 26 hearing.
Item 4a — 401 North Ham Lane Tentative Parcel Map (PL2026-013)
Application at a Glance
Site: 401 North Ham Lane, Lodi, CA 95242 — Assessor's Parcel Number (APN) 035-330-05
Applicant: Jeff Gates, P.O. Box 1171, Galt, CA 95632
Property Owner: Olive Branch, LLC, P.O. Box 1171, Galt, CA 95632
General Plan: Medium Density Residential (MDR) — density range 8 to 20 dwelling units per acre
Zoning: Residential Medium Density (RMD) — allowable density 8.1 to 20 units per acre; allows a range of single-family, duplex, townhome, and multi-family products
Site size: Approximately 10,700 square feet (roughly 0.25 acres). Note: the staff report also cites 0.52 acres in the Project/Area Description; 10,700 sq ft is 0.246 acres, so the 0.52-acre figure appears to be a typo.
CEQA determination: Categorical Exemption, Class 15 — Minor Land Divisions (CEQA Guidelines §15315)
Staff recommendation: Approve, subject to findings and conditions in the draft resolution
Report authors: Assistant Planner Eva Pitts; Community Development Director David Hanham
Background and Setting
The site sits on the west side of North Ham Lane, at the edge between commercial Ham Lane frontage and interior single-family and duplex blocks. Adjacent uses are a single-family home to the north (LDR), a quick-serve restaurant to the south (General Commercial), vacant commercial land to the east (General Commercial), and duplexes to the west (High Density Residential).
A key wrinkle staff highlights: although the county records show a single Assessor's Parcel Number for the property, the staff report asserts the property is actually two separate legal lots that were conveyed separately in 1957 and have remained legally distinct under the Subdivision Map Act ever since. Under staff's reading, the single APN reflects a historical San Joaquin County practice of assigning one parcel number to contiguous properties held under common ownership. The original 1957 deed is included as Attachment B. Tonight's request divides only the western legal lot into two parcels — the eastern lot is not part of this action, and no building entitlement is proposed for either resultant parcel.
Proposed Parcel Configuration
| Parcel | Area (sq ft) | Width (ft) | Depth (ft) | Access | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parcel 1 | 5,193 | 117.8 | 80.3 | Neplus Court | Western portion |
| Parcel 2 | 5,507 | 90.0 | 90.0 | Neplus Court | Eastern portion |
| Total | 10,700 | — | — | — | — |
Proposed lot areas versus the RMD 5,000-square-foot two-family minimum; lot-width comparisons appear in the compliance table below. Source: Item 4a staff report, Table B (Lodi Municipal Code §17.18.040, Ordinance No. 1869, adopted May 20, 2020).
RMD Development Standards Compliance (Table B)
| Parcel | Standard | Required | Proposed | Compliance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parcel 1 | Lot Area | 5,000 sf for two-family | 5,193 sf | Yes |
| Lot Width | 60 ft | 117.8 ft | Yes | |
| Lot Depth | Not specified | 80.3 ft | Yes | |
| Parcel 2 | Lot Area | 5,000 sf for two-family | 5,507 sf | Yes |
| Lot Width | 60 ft | 90.0 ft | Yes | |
| Lot Depth | Not specified | 90.0 ft | Yes |
RMD sets no minimum lot depth. Both parcels comfortably exceed the 60-foot minimum width for two-family and the 5,000-square-foot minimum lot area. Public Works has reviewed the tentative map and recommends approval subject to standard conditions.
Required Subdivision Map Act Findings
Under Government Code §66474 and Lodi Development Code §17.52.070, a tentative map must be denied if any of eight findings cannot be made. Staff finds all eight findings support approval — consistency with the General Plan; physical suitability of the site; no substantial environmental damage; no serious public health or safety problems; no conflict with public easements; no violation of Regional Water Quality Control Board wastewater requirements; no adverse soil or geologic conditions; and consistency with the Subdivision Map Act, the Lodi Municipal Code, and the RMD development standards.
Conditions of Approval Worth Noting
Planning — Building rights not conveyed
Condition 7 states explicitly that approval of the Tentative Parcel Map does not constitute approval of any building permits, use permits, design review, or other entitlements. Any future development on either parcel will trigger separate review, and Condition 8 notes future RMD development may still be subject to SPARC review.
Public Works — Separate water and sewer per parcel
Each parcel must be provided with its own water service (installed by City forces at the owner's expense) and its own wastewater service from an existing public manhole (installed by the developer's licensed contractor). Onsite parking stalls must be a minimum of 10 ft × 20 ft and cannot encroach into the City right-of-way.
Public Works — Water-rights appointment
The owner and its successors must enter an agreement appointing the City of Lodi as agent for any and all overlying water rights appurtenant to the site, assigning appropriative or prescriptive rights to the City, and allowing the City to charge water-delivery fees. The obligation runs with the land and is a required deed provision on future conveyances.
Utility easements and encroachments
No structures — including building foundations, overhangs, utilities, and trees — may be located within public utility easements, City rights-of-way, or across property lines. On 5,193-square-foot infill lots, that constraint tightens setbacks, driveway placement, and street-tree siting for whatever product ultimately gets built.
Notice
Legal notice was published in the Lodi News-Sentinel on September 12, 2026. Forty-nine (49) mailed notices were sent to property owners of record within a 300-foot radius of the site, per Government Code §65091(a)(3).
Open Issues to Watch — Item 4a
- Site-size typo. The staff report cites both "0.52 acres" and "approximately 0.25 acres (10,700 square feet)" for the same parcel. 10,700 sq ft is 0.246 acres, so 0.52 acres appears incorrect. Worth clarifying on the record before adoption.
- Address inconsistency in the recommended motion. The Required Motion at the end of the staff report describes the property as "401 North Ham Street" while the rest of the packet says "401 North Ham Lane." A trivial correction, but the resolution language should be tightened.
- Purpose not stated. The staff report does not explain why the applicant is seeking the split now — financing, sale, phased build, or a specific product type. At the August 26 hearing on the 2001 South Stockton Street parcel map, commissioners pressed the applicant on this question; expect similar inquiry here.
- 1957-legal-lots argument. Staff's reliance on two separate 1957 conveyances to characterize the property as already two legal lots is the linchpin of the Subdivision Map Act analysis. Commissioners may want confirmation that the Preliminary Title Report referenced in Public Works Condition 6 supports that characterization.
- Small-lot buildability. Parcel 1 at 5,193 square feet with 117.8 feet of width and only 80.3 feet of depth would be tight for typical RMD product once setbacks, parking, easements, and tree-siting constraints are applied. Any future duplex or townhome build-out would almost certainly return to SPARC.
- Access via Neplus Court, not Ham Lane. The map routes access to a side street; that is common on infill Ham Lane parcels but is worth confirming for turning-movement and driveway-spacing purposes if a two-family product is proposed later.
Item 4b — 4872 East Kettleman Lane Maverik Use Permit (PL2023-042 U)
Application at a Glance
Site: 4872 East Kettleman Lane, Lodi, CA 95240 — APN 061-020-15
Applicant: Todd Meyers, Maverik, Inc., 185 South State Street, Suite 800, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Property Owner: FJ Management, Inc., 185 South State Street, Suite 1300, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Zoning: Existing San Joaquin County AG-40 (Agriculture); City-adopted Pre-Zone: General Commercial (GC)
General Plan: General Commercial
Site size: 8.81 acres (the 2025 IS/MND lists 8.61 acres for the same APN — a 0.20-acre discrepancy worth reconciling on the record)
Proposed operation: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
CEQA determination: No further review required, CEQA Guidelines §15162 (relies on the 2025 Maverik Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, State Clearinghouse No. 2024030646)
Staff recommendation: Approve; make a Public Convenience or Necessity finding
Report authors: Senior Planner Tim Kohaya; Community Development Director David Hanham
What a Type 21 License Authorizes
An ABC Type 21 (Off-Sale General) license is issued to retail stores and authorizes the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits for consumption off the premises where sold. Persons under 21 are allowed on the premises. Lodi Municipal Code §17.20.030 permits both on-site and off-site alcohol sales in the General Commercial zone subject to a use permit; §17.40.040(F) sets the findings the Planning Commission must make; §17.40.040(G) authorizes the Commission to impose reasonable and necessary conditions.
The use permit and any Public Convenience or Necessity finding by the City authorize the Applicant to seek a Type 21 license from ABC — they do not, by themselves, allow alcohol sales until the ABC license is actually issued. ABC controls license issuance based on factors including census-tract concentration.
Project History and Sequence of Approvals
The site was in unincorporated San Joaquin County (zoned AG-40) until 2026. The sequence:
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Maverik files ABC application and submits SPARC plans for a convenience store and fueling dispensers. Files annexation application PL2023-040 A. |
| Jan 3, 2024 | City Council adopts a code amendment requiring use permits for convenience stores and gas stations in the GC zone. Maverik's 2023 filings predated this change. |
| Jul 16, 2025 | City Council adopts the Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration (SCH No. 2024030646) and pre-zones the site GC. |
| Dec 17, 2025 | City submits the annexation package to San Joaquin LAFCO. |
| Aug 26, 2026 | LAFCO informs staff that the Maverik annexation is approved. |
| Sep 23, 2026 | Planning Commission considers the Type 21 Use Permit (this hearing). |
| Concurrent | SPARC reviews the site plan and building design (PL2023-043). |
| Pending | Applicant has also filed a Tentative Parcel Map (PL2026-004 PM) to subdivide the 8.81-acre parcel into two parcels; Maverik occupies the 3.59-acre western parcel. |
Approvals leading to the September 23, 2026 Type 21 Use Permit hearing. Source: Item 4b staff report, Background section.
Site Setting
The site is at the southeast corner of East Kettleman Lane and South Beckman Road, approximately 400 feet east of the Highway 99 / East Kettleman Lane freeway interchange (Exit 264B). Adjacent land uses:
| Direction | General Plan | Zoning | Existing Land Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | General Commercial | General Commercial (GC) | Service station, coffeehouse, hotel |
| South | General Commercial | AG-40 (San Joaquin County) | Cropland |
| East | Business Park | AG-40 (San Joaquin County) | Single-family residence, cropland |
| West | General Commercial | General Commercial (GC) | Cropland |
Staff emphasizes Maverik's business model: Maverik gasoline stations are known for a large prepared-food footprint. The floor plan (Attachment E) reflects larger food preparation and service areas than a typical gas-station convenience store. Staff argues this will produce a higher prepared-food-to-alcohol sales mix than typical for a Type 21 site.
Required Findings for Approval
Per LMC §17.40.040(F), staff makes all five required findings:
- The proposed use is allowed with a use permit within the GC zone and complies with the Development Code.
- The proposed use is consistent with the General Plan (General Commercial); the site is not within a specific plan.
- Location, size, design, and operating characteristics — as conditioned — will not detrimentally impact neighboring land uses, most of which are travel-commercial businesses. Conditions were prepared with the Lodi Police Department.
- The proposed use is compatible with existing and future land uses in the vicinity.
- The project has been reviewed under CEQA and the Lodi Environmental Review Guidelines; no further review is required under §15162.
Public Convenience or Necessity (PCN) — the Discretionary Call
The whole city is overconcentrated. ABC has determined that all of Lodi has an overconcentration of ABC licenses, which triggers the statutory requirement that the Planning Commission make an affirmative Public Convenience or Necessity finding before ABC can issue the license. Without a PCN finding by the local review authority, ABC cannot approve the license.
Staff's PCN rationale rests on four points: (i) proximity to a major freeway interchange serving travelers and truckers; (ii) added retail variety in a corridor that currently offers a single competing station on the north side of Kettleman; (iii) sales tax revenue from a customer base weighted toward non-Lodi residents; and (iv) Maverik's prepared-food model, which staff expects to produce a favorable food-to-alcohol sales mix.
PCN is where the Commission has the most latitude to add conditions, deny, or require alternate mitigations, because it is a discretionary judgment that the economic and service benefits outweigh the marginal impact of adding another Type 21 license in an already overconcentrated tract.
CEQA — Reliance on the 2025 IS/MND
In July 2025, the City Council adopted an Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration (SCH No. 2024030646) for the Maverik annexation and pre-zoning. That analysis considered full buildout of the site, including a convenience store and fueling area. Staff applies CEQA Guidelines §15162 and finds none of the three re-review triggers is met — no substantial changes to the project, no substantial changes to the circumstances, and no new information of substantial importance. Because no changes to the IS/MND are needed, staff concludes no addendum is required.
Mitigation, Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) — Carry-Over Mitigations
The Project is subject to the 2025 MMRP included as Attachment G. The measures that most affect operational and construction sequencing:
Agricultural Resources Measure 1 — Agricultural Mitigation Program
Before issuance of building permits, the applicant must provide agricultural mitigation land or an in-lieu fee, approved by the San Joaquin County Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee. The MMRP does not specify the mitigation ratio or acreage in the excerpts available in the packet.
Biological Resources Measure 1 — Nesting Bird / Burrowing Owl / Raptor Pre-Construction Survey
If ground-disturbing work occurs between February 1 and August 31, a qualified biologist must survey no more than seven working days before activity. Buffers: 100 feet for passerines, 300 feet for burrowing owls, 300 feet for raptors. A qualified biological monitor must be on site at initiation of work within those buffers if active nests are identified.
Biological Resources Measure 2 — Worker Environmental Awareness Program (WEAP)
All construction personnel must attend WEAP training prepared and delivered by a qualified biologist before construction begins. Attendance forms must be signed and retained.
Biological Resources Measure 3 — General Best Management Practices
Project limits clearly delineated; 5 mph vehicle speed limit within unpaved limits; closed-container trash disposal removed daily; no deliberate feeding of wildlife; no pets; no firearms; vehicle maintenance in designated staging areas; night lighting shielded and directed downward.
Biological Resources Measure 4 — Crotch's Bumble Bee Survey and Avoidance
Pre-project surveys during the colony active period (April 1 – August 31), three visits at least a week apart, by a qualified biologist meeting a 40-hour experience threshold. If active nests or foraging are detected, at least a 50-foot no-work buffer is established in consultation with CDFW.
Notable Conditions of Approval
The draft resolution includes standard Planning conditions and a supplemental Police-department condition list. The most operationally significant conditions:
| Area | Condition |
|---|---|
| Planning | Indemnification; strict-compliance clause; periodic review; revocation possible after public hearing if the site generates public drunkenness, disturbing the peace, or disorderly conduct. |
| Planning | All owners, managers, and employees selling alcohol must complete a certified Responsible Beverage Service training program within 30 days of the effective date; records maintained on the premises. |
| Planning | No sales to intoxicated patrons. |
| Planning | Hours of operation locked in at 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. |
| Planning | Alcohol display limited to the areas shown on the approved floor plan. |
| Planning | Single beer cans prohibited — packaging of four or more cans/bottles required. |
| Planning | All ABC and San Joaquin County Health Department permits required before commencement of alcohol sales. |
| Police | Staff training on store security, crime deterrence, and ABC compliance. |
| Police | High-quality interior and exterior surveillance camera system, at least 30-day retention, downloadable and shareable. |
| Police | Publicly visible live-video monitor plus a private monitor accessible only to management and law enforcement. |
| Police | Cash-limiting register procedures; alarm system; height tapes at all exits. |
| Police | Well-lit exterior; landscape maintained for clear lines of sight; no-trespass and no-loitering signage. |
| Police | Electronic smart-ID scanner required to detect false identification. |
| Police | Alcohol displayed in the rear portion of the store to deter theft. |
| Police | New or modified structures to incorporate Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles. |
Strategic Priority Cited
The staff report cites Strategic Priority 3.B — Position Lodi to maintain a diversified revenue mix — noting that non-Lodi residents will be the majority sales tax revenue source at this location.
Notice
Legal notice was published in the Lodi News-Sentinel on September 12, 2026. Only five (5) mailed notices were sent to property owners of record within a 300-foot radius, reflecting the site's rural edge, plus notices to interested parties.
Open Issues to Watch — Item 4b
- Procedural sequencing with SPARC. Tonight's action would entitle the license; the site plan (PL2023-043) still has to clear SPARC. In August 2026, the Planning Commission approved the Rogers Media sign use permit the same evening SPARC denied that project. Expect commissioners to ask how the two decisions are being coordinated and whether the Use Permit becomes effective before SPARC signs off on the building.
- PCN discretion is the key vote. Because ABC has classified the entire city as overconcentrated, the Public Convenience or Necessity finding is where the Commission has the most latitude. Staff's rationale rests heavily on freeway-adjacent traveler service and non-resident sales tax capture. Reasonable questions: the current Type 21 count in the surrounding census tract, the crime statistics the Police Department relied on when drafting conditions, and empirical food-to-alcohol mix data for comparable Maverik locations.
- Section 15162 CEQA reliance. The 2025 IS/MND analyzed "commercial uses" including a convenience store, but did not separately analyze the cumulative or public-safety impacts of on-site alcohol sales. The §15162 conclusion is defensible but not the only reading; a challenger could argue an addendum was warranted for the alcohol overlay.
- Parcel-geometry mismatch. The staff report cites 8.81 acres; the 2025 MMRP cites 8.61 acres for the same APN. That 0.20-acre difference should be reconciled on the record — it may reflect a right-of-way dedication or a difference in the annexation legal description.
- Farmland conversion detail is missing. The MMRP requires an agricultural conservation easement or in-lieu fee before building permits, approved by the County Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee, but the packet does not disclose the acreage of Important Farmland being converted, the mitigation ratio, or the estimated in-lieu payment.
- Adjacent AG-40 residences. The east and south neighbors are cropland and single-family homes still on County AG-40 zoning. 24/7 operations, fueling activity, delivery-truck traffic, and light spill are the classic edge-of-annexation issues. Conditions address lighting through CPTED but do not include site-specific dark-sky or delivery-hour restrictions.
- Type-21-specific character. The description "distilled spirits for off-site consumption" pushes this beyond the beer-and-wine Type 20 baseline that many gas-station convenience stores operate under, and it is the first application of the January 2024 code amendment requiring use permits for convenience stores and gas stations in the GC zone.
- Tentative Parcel Map PL2026-004 PM. A separate parcel map to split the 8.81-acre parcel into two lots (Maverik on 3.59 acres) is filed but not on this agenda. Commissioners may ask about its schedule.
Alcohol License Concentration in Context
Overconcentration: California ABC uses census-tract-level ratios of population to license count to determine overconcentration under Business & Professions Code §23958.4. When a proposed license would be in an overconcentrated tract, the local governing body must make a PCN finding before ABC will issue.
What "public convenience or necessity" means in practice: Case law and ABC practice give local jurisdictions substantial discretion, but the finding should be supported by evidence in the record. For this hearing, the record is the staff report, the applicant's operational testimony, and any public comment. Commissioners typically ask for: number of existing licenses in the census tract, distance to the nearest same-type license, presence of sensitive uses (schools, parks, places of worship) within 600 feet, and Police Department input on crime experience at comparable sites.
Context from the August 26, 2026 Meeting
The minutes up for approval as Item 2 document a 4-member quorum (Chair Hicks, Vice Chair Singh, Woehl, McNickle; Lydon and Diehl absent) and two actions worth carrying forward:
2001 South Stockton Street — Housing Authority Parcel Map
Approved 4-0. The Commission divided a parcel into two lots to enable phased financing for an income-restricted affordable housing project. The applicant (Dillon & Murphy) explained the eastern parcel would be built first with an access easement to the back parcel. A Housing Authority representative confirmed the phased build is driven by low-income housing tax credit sequencing. Staff cited Lodi's 8-year Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) goal of 3,999 units. Construction estimated to start March 2027 if the tax credits come through.
Rogers Media Electronic Message Signs on City Property
Approved 3-1 (Woehl dissenting). The same evening, SPARC denied the sign application. The Planning Commission received the SPARC denial as an appeal and voted to approve three programmable electronic message signs on City property, including a site at Highway 12 and Westgate and one near the animal shelter. Commissioner Woehl objected on safety grounds (proximity to the Westgate intersection) and cited public opposition to visual clutter and light pollution voiced by local architect Pete Rosado and resident Ernest Gibson. The Assistant City Attorney clarified that a Planning Commission approval of the use permit does not, by itself, override the SPARC denial — the applicant would still need SPARC approval to move forward, and the Development Agreement remained unexecuted. The precedent — Planning Commission approving a use permit that SPARC had denied the same evening — is a relevant procedural comparator for tonight's Item 4b, which runs concurrently with SPARC review of the Maverik site plan.
References
- Lodi Planning Commission Agenda Center — packet, agenda, and minutes
- City of Lodi Community Development Department
- Lodi Municipal Code, Title 17 (Development Code) — including §17.18 RMD, §17.20 GC, §17.40 Use Permits, §17.52 Subdivisions, §17.70 Appeals, §17.74 Tentative Maps
- California Government Code §66474 — Findings for Tentative Map Denial
- California Government Code §65091 — Public Hearing Notice Requirements
- California Government Code §84308 — Levine Act Disclosure of Campaign Contributions
- California Business & Professions Code §23958.4 — Public Convenience or Necessity
- CEQA Guidelines §15315 — Class 15 Minor Land Divisions Categorical Exemption
- CEQA Guidelines §15162 — Subsequent EIRs and Negative Declarations
- Maverik Lodi Project IS/MND — State Clearinghouse No. 2024030646 (2025)
- California ABC — License Type Descriptions (Type 21 Off-Sale General)
- San Joaquin County LAFCO — annexation and sphere of influence
- San Joaquin County Public ArcGIS Map — parcel, APN, and boundary verification
- Community Development Contact: Administrative Assistant Jessica Pagán — (209) 333-6711