Plan Lodi — Comprehensive Planning Overview
Plan Lodi — Comprehensive Planning Overview
Downtown Specific Plan | Housing Element | General Plan | City Expansion
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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 municipal code modernization. This overview covers each initiative based on official City of Lodi sources.
Key Milestones at a Glance
- Housing Element: HCD-certified April 2024, allocating 3,909 units through 2031
- General Plan Updates: Safety, Conservation & Environmental Justice elements adopted December 2024; EIR certified July 2025
- Downtown Specific Plan: Public review draft released February 2026; adoption anticipated April 2026
- City Expansion: Sphere of Influence planning underway; 3-part workshop series completed June 2025
- Code Amendments: Three phases of Title 17 modernization adopted (Dec 2023, Mar 2025, Oct 2025)
Master Timeline
| Initiative | Activity | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Code Amendments – Phase 1 | Title 17 updates | Adopted Dec 2023 |
| Housing Element | 2023–2031 Update | HCD Approved Apr 2024 |
| General Plan | Safety / Conservation / EJ Elements | Adopted Dec 2024 |
| Code Amendments – Phase 2 | Food trucks, infill, gas stations | Adopted Mar 2025 |
| City Expansion | 3-Part Workshop Series | Completed Jun 2025 |
| General Plan EIR | SEIR & GP Amendments | Certified Jul 2025 |
| Code Amendments – Phase 3 | Health/safety, tobacco, alcohol | Adopted Oct 2025 |
| Downtown Specific Plan | Public Review Draft | Comments Due Mar 5, 2026 |
| Downtown Specific Plan | Planning Commission Hearing | Scheduled Mar 25, 2026 |
| Downtown Specific Plan | City Council Adoption | Anticipated Apr 15, 2026 |
1. Downtown Specific Plan
Vision
The overall vision for the Downtown Specific Plan is to accentuate the heart of Lodi and create a unique destination that is welcoming and attractive, with community-owned shops and restaurants and a range of mixed-use housing. Downtown Lodi is envisioned to become a vibrant, entertaining, and walkable interconnected core that is clean, safe, and family-friendly. Enhanced streetscapes with additional pedestrian amenities and outdoor gathering spaces providing increased seasonal events will better serve residents and entice visitors.
What is a Specific Plan?
A specific plan is a long-range planning document and regulatory tool that defines a vision and provides a framework to guide future private development and public improvements within a specific area. It is not a specific development, building, or project. The Downtown Specific Plan is based on economic, mobility, and historical analysis and will establish land use and placemaking concepts and direction.
Plan Area Boundaries
- South: Lodi Avenue
- West: Pleasant Avenue
- East: Washington Street
- North: Lockeford Street, the softball complex, and Armory Park
The study area is divided by the railroad and is limited to only five crossing points between the two sides of the tracks. A critical aspect of the Specific Plan is exploring ways to create better connectivity between the two sides of Downtown and to reinvent Main Street as a vibrant place for people to live, work, stay, and play.
Process & Community Engagement Timeline
The overall work effort spans 18–24 months and includes extensive community engagement through online questionnaires, community workshops, a multi-day open house, and public hearings.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 2024 | Project kickoff – Steering Committee downtown tour |
| January 9, 2025 | Community Workshop at WOW Classroom Building (existing conditions analysis) |
| February 4–5, 2025 | Multi-day Open House at 22 South Main Street (English & Spanish presentations) |
| April 17, 2025 | Additional Community Open House for public input |
| April 23, 2025 | Planning Commission Study Session |
| May 7, 2025 | City Council Study Session |
| Aug–Sep 2025 | Project summary updates to Steering Committee, Council & Lodi Improvement Committee |
| February 2026 | Draft Plan released for public review and comment |
| February 17, 2026 | Open House at Police Department Community Room (215 W Elm St), 5:00–6:30 PM |
| March 5, 2026 | Deadline for written comments to PlanningDivision@lodi.gov |
| March 25, 2026 | Planning Commission public hearing |
| April 15, 2026 | City Council review and potential adoption |
2. Housing Element (2023–2031)
Overview
In 2024, the City updated its Housing Element for the 2023–2031 planning period. The purpose of the Housing Element is to identify and analyze existing and projected housing needs in order to preserve, improve, and develop housing for all economic segments of the community. On April 11, 2024, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) completed its review and found the Adopted Housing Element meets all statutory requirements of State Housing Element Law.
Structure
The Housing Element consists of two parts:
Needs Assessment: Identifies and analyzes existing and projected housing needs, provides a list of sites for housing development adequate to accommodate the City’s regional housing needs allocation, documents constraints to housing production, and analyzes fair housing issues locally and regionally.
Policy Document: Includes goals, policies, and programs that respond to the housing needs, constraints, and issues identified in the Needs Assessment. This serves as the City’s housing action plan for the next eight years.
Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)
The State of California requires each jurisdiction to plan for its fair share of regional housing need. HCD determined the SJCOG (San Joaquin County Council of Governments) region needs to add 52,719 housing units across all income categories by 2031. Using the approved RHNA methodology, SJCOG allocated 3,909 new housing units to the City of Lodi (approximately 7.5% of the region’s total):
| Income Category | Allocated Units |
|---|---|
| Very Low Income | 941 |
| Low Income | 591 |
| Moderate Income | 706 |
| Above Moderate Income | 1,671 |
| Total RHNA | 3,909 |
RHNA Allocation by Income Category
Key Updates in the 6th Cycle
- Affirmatively Further Fair Housing (AFFH): New chapter added per State requirements to analyze and address fair housing issues.
- Updated Housing Needs: New data reflecting conditions since the last update.
- Constraints Analysis: Updated based on new State requirements, the City zoning code, and stakeholder feedback.
- Site Inventory: Updated based on recent development activity.
- Goals, Policies & Programs: Revised to respond to changing housing needs, new State laws, and AFFH findings.
Connection to the General Plan
The Housing Element is one of seven required elements of the General Plan, but with unique requirements. State law mandates updates every eight years and specifies required content. It is the only element reviewed and certified by the State (through HCD) for compliance. Certification is essential to the City’s eligibility for State funding programs for transportation, infrastructure, and housing.
3. General Plan Updates
Overview
The City’s General Plan was originally adopted in April 2010 and has been undergoing significant targeted updates. In July 2025, the City Council certified the Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) and approved associated General Plan amendments. The corresponding Zoning Map amendments, including rezonings from the Housing Element sites inventory, were adopted in August 2025.
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Transition
The City has updated its General Plan Environmental Impact Report to align with California law (SB 743), transitioning from Level of Service (LOS) to Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) as the method for evaluating transportation impacts under CEQA. This change is expected to:
- Align transportation impact analysis with goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Reduce overall VMT through better land-use planning
- Streamline review of land-use and transportation projects
Housing Element Rezones
Where the City lacked sufficient zoning capacity to accommodate its RHNA allocations, a rezoning program was required. As part of the GPEIR update, parcels identified in Housing Element Chapter 5 Sites Inventory are being rezoned to create residential capacity.
2057 Lower Sacramento Road: Of the 13 Housing Element sites proposed for rezoning, City Council directed staff to remove this site from consideration. On October 2, 2025, HCD provided formal guidance noting that while rezoning this particular site is not required to accommodate the City’s RHNA, removing a higher-density site in a higher-resource area may be inconsistent with the adopted Housing Element and AFFH obligations. City staff is reviewing HCD’s guidance and will bring forward recommendations for Council consideration.
General Plan Land Use Map Updates
Because the General Plan must be internally and vertically consistent with specific plans, zoning, and development regulations, targeted updates have been made to the City’s General Plan Land Use Map and document text. The updated map is available through the City’s GIS Map Viewer.
New & Updated General Plan Elements (December 2024)
On December 4, 2024, the Lodi City Council adopted three General Plan element updates aligned with the 6th Cycle Housing Element:
4. City Expansion & Sphere of Influence
What is a Sphere of Influence?
In California land use planning, a Sphere of Influence (SOI) is a designated area beyond a city’s official boundaries that represents where the city is expected to grow and provide services in the future. The Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) determines these boundaries to guide development, ensure efficient service delivery, and prevent urban sprawl. Being within a city’s SOI does not mean immediate annexation—it signals the city’s long-term interest in that area.
Municipal Services Review (2022)
In 2022, the Municipal Services Review (MSR) was updated for the San Joaquin LAFCO in compliance with the 2000 Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act, which requires each LAFCo to prepare service reviews prior to establishing or updating SOIs. The MSR defines the probable 30-year boundary of the City’s service area and the agency’s sphere horizons at the end of 10-year and 30-year time periods.
Three-Part Workshop Series (June 2025)
The City hosted a comprehensive three-part workshop series focused on how Lodi will grow in the years ahead:
June 3, 2025 – Part I: Led by Community Development, covering the General Plan and Sphere of Influence. View Presentation (PDF)
June 10, 2025 – Part II: Joint presentation from Public Works and Lodi Electric Utility focused on utilities and infrastructure needed to support future growth. View Presentation (PDF)
June 17, 2025 – Part III: Discussion with outside legal counsel and Economic Development exploring funding strategies and next steps for long-term development.
Annexation Process
City expansion through annexation follows a formal California process governed by LAFCO. The City has published a flowchart of the annexation process and indicated that a Westside Annexation meeting is planned. Upcoming code amendments will include updated annexation standards to guide this process.
5. Development Code Amendments (Title 17)
Overview
Beginning in 2023, the Lodi Planning Division launched a multi-year, phased effort to update and modernize Title 17 (Development Code) of the Lodi Municipal Code. The goal is to keep zoning regulations current, clear, and effective while implementing the General Plan and Council direction.
Code Amendment Phases — Key Changes by Category
Phase 1 — Adopted December 2023
Delivered focused updates to modernize land-use tables, clarify development standards, and streamline approvals:
- Updated fence height limits within the visibility triangle to match Public Works standards
- Added and streamlined commercial and mixed-use permitted uses (fitness studios, convenience stores, warehouse retail, veterinary clinics)
- Drive-throughs moved to Minor Use Permit (MUP) reviewed by SPARC
- New truck parking siting, screening, and setback standards
- Updated auto sales/rental development standards
- Streamlined final map filing and processing procedures
Phase 2 — Adopted March 2025
Introduced alignment with the General Plan and support for infill development:
- Food Truck Parks: New land use categories (Pods/Hubs, Plazas, Park/Commissary) with an initial citywide cap of three
- Planned Development: Minimum acreage reduced from 5 acres to 1 acre to encourage smaller-scale infill
- Gas Stations: New siting standards requiring arterial streets, 500-foot residential buffers, minimum 15,000 sq. ft. parcels
- Updated parking requirements for Food Truck Parks
- New definitions for Commissary, Cottage Court, Duplex, and Food Truck categories
Phase 3 — Adopted October 2025
Advanced public health, safety standards, and code modernization:
- California Historical Building Code: Formally adopted for preservation of historic buildings
- Tobacco Retailers: Prohibited within 500 feet of youth facilities and other tobacco retailers; no self-service displays
- Alcoholic Beverage Sales: New distance requirements (500 ft from schools, parks, daycare), over-concentration area rules, and high-crime area provisions
- Parking reductions: Duplexes aligned with multifamily rates; senior housing reduced from 0.75 to 0.5 spaces/unit
- RMD height correction: Corrected from 2 stories to 3 stories
Coming Soon
Upcoming code amendments will include: a new Historic Preservation Ordinance, updated annexation standards, Objective Design Standards, Housing Element program implementation measures, and updates to the Downtown Mixed Use zoning standards to align with the forthcoming Downtown Specific Plan.
6. Area Maps & Boundaries
The maps below show the key planning areas referenced throughout the Plan Lodi initiative. Click within each map to explore, and use the legend to identify the different planning boundaries.
7. How to Get Involved
City of Lodi Community Development Department
221 W Pine Street,
Lodi, CA 95240
Phone: 209-333-6700
Email: planningdivision@lodi.gov
Website: www.planlodi.com |
City
Community Development
References & Resources
- Plan Lodi — Main Portal
- Downtown Specific Plan Page
- Downtown Specific Plan Public Review Draft (PDF)
- Downtown Specific Plan Appendices (PDF)
- Housing Element Page
- Approved 2023–2031 Housing Element (PDF)
- HCD Compliance Letter — April 11, 2024 (PDF)
- General Plan Page
- Final Subsequent EIR (PDF)
- Environmental Justice Element (PDF)
- Safety Element (PDF)
- Conservation Element (PDF)
- City Expansion Page
- MSR/SOI 2022 Update (PDF)
- City Expansion Workshop Part I Presentation (PDF)
- Code Amendments Page
- City of Lodi GIS Map Viewer
- 2010 General Plan Documents
All information sourced from www.planlodi.com as of February 2026. This summary is provided for informational purposes by Lodi411.com and is not an official City of Lodi document.