Stockton Planning Commission Meeting – April 8, 2021
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Stockton Planning Commission Meeting – April 8, 2021
The Stockton Planning Commission met on April 8, 2021, at 5:30 PM in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 425 N. El Dorado Street. The meeting included approval of prior minutes, a public hearing on a design review and variance for a fire pump structure, and a training session on planning commission procedures and ethics. The meeting adjourned at 7:02 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of September 24, 2020: Approved 5-0 (Commissioner Villapudua recused as he had not watched the video). Motion by Jeff Sanguinetti, seconded by Waqar Rizvi.
- Minutes of March 11, 2021: Approved 6-0. Motion by Jeff Sanguinetti, seconded by Gerardo Garcia.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made during the public comment period.
Discussion Items
- Design Review and Variance (Item 5.1): Staff presented a request from ML Commodities, the owner of an existing warehouse at 2005 West Washington Street, for a variance to allow a reduced front setback of 6 feet 3 inches to 6 feet 4 inches (required 10 feet) for a fire pump structure (17 feet wide by 7 feet deep). The structure would enclose a fire protection standpipe to enable installation of a fire sprinkler system. Staff worked with the applicant to explore alternatives, but the front location was the only feasible option due to the building's layout, railroad tracks on the west, and a two-story office in the corner. The variance findings were supported: special circumstances (existing building built before sprinkler requirements, no other feasible location), physical suitability (site is flat with ample parking—17 existing stalls, loss of 2 stalls still leaves sufficient parking for 7 employees), necessity (to allow fire suppression and business expansion), consistency with the General Plan (industrial use permitted), and no detriment to public health. The design review ensures the structure matches the existing building's colors (blue base, tan top). Mike Girdner, owner of ML Commodities, confirmed the need and thanked staff. Commissioners expressed support, noting safety benefits and staff's reasonable approach. The commission adopted Resolution 2021-04-08-0501 approving the design review and variance (6-0).
- Planning Commission Training (Item 8.1): Assistant City Attorney Lori Asuncion presented a training covering the Brown Act, City Charter, Municipal Code, council policies, Rosenberg's Rules of Order, ethics (conflicts of interest), and council contacts. The training was informational only; no action was taken. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about supermajority votes, social media (serial meetings), gift reporting, and attendance requirements. The presentation emphasized transparency, proper meeting procedure, and avoidance of conflicts.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Design review and variance for a reduced front setback at 2005 West Washington Street (Motion 2021-04-08-0501, carried 6-0). The decision may be appealed within 10 days per Stockton Municipal Code 16.100.020.
- Informational: Training presentation was received; no action taken.
- Adjourned: Meeting adjourned at 7:02 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the Planning Commission meeting of April 8th, 2021. At this time, I would like to ask the city clerk to please take roll. Chair Mallet? Present. Vice Chair Sanguinetti? Present. Commissioner Garcia? Present. Commissioner Mountain? Here. Commissioner Rizby. Here. Commissioner Jones is absent. Commissioner Via Pudua? Here. Thank you. We have a quorum. Thank you. I would now like to ask Commissioner Garcia if you would please lead us in the flag salute. Ready? Begin. I'm glad to use the flag. One nation. Indivisible with liberty and justice fall. Okay, so now this brings us to agenda item three, the consent consent. Normally we would take and approve the consent calendar as a single motion and vote. And so tonight I see that the minutes for September 24th, 2020, were prior to our two new members joining the planning commission. For those of you who are not aware, members who are absent or in this case new may still vote on items for which they were not present if they do so in accordance with council policy 4.01.040, which requires listening or watching to the recorded video of the meeting, reading the documents, and then stating that they have done these things on the record. Because the September 24th minutes predate the new commissioners, we will separate and vote on each set of minutes individually to allow recusals by members who were not eligible to vote. Let me check with staff downstairs staff. We have no comments. Thank you. Okay. So could I get a motion? I make a motion to approve the item for the 924-20 minutes. Okay. I second it. All right. I have a motion by Vice Chair Sanguinetti and a second by Commissioner Rizby. Oh, good. Oh, excuse me. Um I think so. Commissioner Villapudua, or you were the new one that is here. Were you able to watch the video or do you want need to recuse yourself? Um no, I did not see the video. Okay. Yeah. So we have one refusal. So then we'll recuse. So we have one recusal by um Commissioner Via Padua, and the rest of you can vote on this item.
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