Merced Planning Commission Meeting - September 17, 2025

The Merced Planning Commission met on September 17, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chamber. The meeting included a consent calendar, three public hearings, and action items. Commissioner Tao was absent; a quorum was present with Commissioner Gonzalez serving as acting chair. The commission approved a conditional use permit for tobacco sales, withdrew a subdivision proposal after public concerns about traffic, and split a vote on a mixed-use project, forwarding a general plan amendment denial to the City Council.

Consent Calendar

• Item D.1: Planning Commission Minutes of August 6, 2025 were approved unanimously with no public comments or requests for removal.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item E.1 (2500 E Childs Ave subdivision): Multiple residents spoke against the proposal, citing traffic dangers on East Childs Avenue and the loss of a safe cul-de-sac on Rye Street. Robert Ruby and Deborah Campbell expressed that opening Rye Street to through traffic would increase accidents and lower property values. Amy Valencia and Patricia Gonzalez (Rye Street residents) opposed because the cul-de-sac was a key reason for purchasing their homes, where children play.
• Item E.3 (1380 Yosemite Ave project): Numerous neighbors spoke in opposition, focusing on the self-storage component. Tom Clendennan (leader of opposition) argued the mini storage is incompatible, with no landscaping, potential graffiti, and no jobs beyond seven positions. He noted a petition with 179 signatures against the project. Robert DeNuzzo called it a dead land use, and Carol Denuso emphasized that the site should remain commercial office to support UC Merced’s medical school. Lee Bach requested the mini storage be reviewed separately from the homes.

Discussion Items

• Item E.1: Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map #25-0003 (17 lots at 2500 E Childs Ave) – Assistant Planner Matt Livingston presented the proposal to subdivide 3.38 acres into 17 residential lots (6,200–14,579 sq ft). Public comments raised traffic and safety concerns about connecting Rye Street as a through street. City Engineer Daryl Jordan noted the existing cul-de-sac was intended as temporary for emergency access but that utilities could be routed through easements if the cul-de-sac were preserved. The developer’s representative (Cesar Perez) indicated flexibility. After discussion, Commissioner Ochoa suggested leaving the cul-de-sac intact. The applicant withdrew the application to revise the tentative map.
• Item E.2: Conditional Use Permit #25-0015 (tobacco sales at 1277 V Street) – Assistant Planner Livingston explained the convenience market requires a CUP because Dennis Chavez Park (youth center) is 534 feet away. Tobacco products will be stored behind a counter. No public comments. The commission approved unanimously with 19 conditions.
• Item E.3: General Plan Amendment #24-02 and Related Permits (1380 Yosemite Ave) – Planner Johnny explained the project had been previously denied (April 2025), appealed to City Council, and returned after a July neighborhood meeting. Changes included reducing homes from 41 to 28, increasing lot sizes, and requiring single-story homes adjacent to the south. Applicant Todd Bender detailed a 30% density reduction and 97% minimum lot size increase. The self-storage would have 500 units, with a 14-foot block wall and hours 7 AM–7 PM. Commission discussion revealed concerns about combining housing and self-storage, consistency with the General Plan, and precedent for mini storages on major corridors. Commissioner Ochoa noted the need for four votes on the general plan amendment. The commission voted 3-2 to approve the environmental review, vesting tentative map, site plan review, and minor use permit (final actions). A motion to disapprove the general plan amendment and site utilization plan revision failed to obtain four votes, so it is deemed denied and forwarded to City Council.

Key Outcomes

• Item E.1: Applicant withdrew the vesting tentative subdivision map to revise the design and preserve the existing cul-de-sac. No vote taken.
• Item E.2: Motion to approve Environmental Review #25-0021 and CUP #25-0015 (with 19 conditions) passed unanimously (5-0).
• Item E.3:
  • Motion to approve Environmental Review #24-25, Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map #1332, Site Plan Review Permit #551, and Minor Use Permit #24-13 passed 3-2 (Commissioners Grigans, Ochoa, and Swigart in favor; Smith and Vu opposed).
  • Motion to disapprove General Plan Amendment #24-02 and Site Utilization Plan Revision #3 to PD #20 failed to gain four votes (2-3? Actually three votes? Transcript says motion to disapprove by Commissioner Ochoa, second by Swigart, but does not specify vote count. However, per municipal code, failure to obtain four votes deems it denied and forwarded to City Council. So the outcome is that the general plan amendment is denied by the commission and goes to council.
• Item F.1: Motion to cancel the October 8, 2025 Planning Commission meeting passed unanimously.
• Item G.1: Acting Planning Manager reported upcoming agenda items, including a citizens advisory focus group on October 8 and tentative subdivision maps for the VST project in November.