Merced Planning Commission Meeting – August 6, 2025
Merced Planning Commission Meeting – August 6, 2025
On August 6, 2025, the Merced Planning Commission convened at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chamber. All seven commissioners were present, establishing a quorum. The meeting included a consent calendar, a public hearing for a conditional use permit for a second food truck, an action to cancel two upcoming meetings, an informational report from staff, and the election of officers.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of July 23, 2025 (Item D.1): Adopted unanimously without separate discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during the general public comment period, and no speaker cards were submitted for items on the agenda.
Public Hearing: Conditional Use Permit #25-0013 (Second Food Truck at 1122 R Street)
- Staff Presentation: Planning staff presented the request to operate a second mobile food vendor within the parking lot of California Liquor & Grocery. The proposed location is near the southwest portion of the parcel, adjacent to an existing permitted food truck. Conditions include trash receptacles, hours of operation (7 a.m. to 9 p.m.), no alcohol sales, and restroom access inside the store.
- Commission Discussion: Commissioner Greggins asked about an unpermitted food truck visible in the site photo. Staff confirmed that truck is not currently permitted and would need to be moved to the proposed location. The applicant’s representative, Magdalena Garcia, stated that the existing tortilla truck is the same one seeking the permit, and they are now pursuing proper approvals. Commissioner Greggins also requested a future analysis of food truck concentrations in the city; staff agreed to prepare a report.
- Public Testimony: Only the applicant’s representative spoke, clarifying that the business sells only pre-made tortillas and operates on a quick grab-and-go basis. No opposition speakers came forward.
- Motion and Vote: Commissioner Greggins moved to approve Environmental Review #25-0019 (Categorical Exemption) and Conditional Use Permit #25-0013, subject to 33 conditions. Commissioner Ochoa seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Action Item: Cancellation of August 20 and September 3, 2025 Meetings (Item F.1)
- Commissioner Wu moved to cancel the meetings due to a lack of agenda items; Commissioner Swiggard seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Information Item: Report by Acting Planning Manager (Item G.1)
- Acting Planning Manager Johnny Land reported that the September 17, 2025 meeting will include a tentative subdivision map, another conditional use permit, and a general plan amendment. He also noted that the General Plan and Downtown Station Area Plan community engagement meetings have been successful, and the first Citizens Advisory Focus Group (CAFG) meeting will take place on August 27, 2025 (6–8 p.m.).
Business: Election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson (Item H.1)
- Commissioner Tau moved to re-elect Chairperson Gonzalez and appoint Commissioner Greggins as Vice-Chairperson. Commissioner Vu seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar Minutes: Approved unanimously.
- Conditional Use Permit #25-0013: Approved with 33 conditions (unanimous).
- Meeting Cancellations: Approved for August 20 and September 3, 2025 (unanimous).
- Officer Elections: Chairperson Gonzalez and Vice-Chairperson Greggins elected (unanimous).
Meeting Transcript
Alright, guys, it's six o'clock. I call to order the meeting of the Planning Commission for August 6th, 2025. I now ask for a moment of silence. Commissioner Ochoa, will you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? Now move item to Section B roll call. Kayla, please. Commissioner Tau. Present. Smith. View. Present. Swiggard. Present. O Chula. Present. Gregg's. Present. And Chairperson Gonzalez. Present. We have a quorum. Kayla will now read information about how the public may participate in the meeting. Members of the audience who wish to address the planning commission are requested to complete a speaker card available at the podium at the back of the council chamber. Please submit the completed card to the clerk before the item is called, preferably before the meeting begins. I would like to briefly go over the process of submitting comments to the planning commission. Please submit your public comment to the planning commission electronically no later than 1 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Comments received before the deadline will be sent to the planning commission and will be part of the record and mentioned as part of the public comment portion of the agenda. Material may be emailed to planning web at city of Merced.gov and should be limited to 300 words or less. Please specify which portion of the agenda you were commenting on. For example, oral communications or item number. Your comments will be presented to the planning commission at the appropriate time. Any correspondence received after 1 p.m. will be distributed to the planning commission and retained for the official record. TV video or listen to the planning commission meeting live. Go to the city's website, www.city of Merced.gov, Facebook Live or Comcast Public Access Channel 96. Thank you, Kayla. We now move over to Section C public comment. Members of the public who wish to speak on any matter not listed on the agenda may speak during this portion of the meeting and will be allotted three minutes. State law prohibits the planning commission from acting at this meeting on any matter raised during this public comment period. Members of the public who wish to speak on a matter that is listed on the agenda will be called upon to speak during discussion of that item. Kayla, do we have anybody who requests permission to speak at this time? No. No. Is there anybody in the public who wishes to speak at this time during the public comment period? Nope. Okay. Thank you. Hearing and seeing none, thank you so much for confirming. We now move on to item D, consent calendar including minutes. Would the commission like to remove any items for separate consideration?
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