Stockton Planning Commission Meeting - September 28, 2023

The Stockton Planning Commission met on September 28, 2023, at 5:31 PM in the City Council Chambers. The main actions were a continuance of a use permit for a convenience store/gas station at 461 French Camp Road to October 12, 2023, and an informational study session on proposed industrial warehouse development standards. The meeting lasted until 7:39 PM.

Consent Calendar

• None.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Eric Parfrey (Sierra Club, retired city planner) criticized the two-minute public comment limit as insufficient, noting that the commission heard only ten minutes of public testimony. He referenced a seven-page letter submitted prior to the meeting.
• Pat Barrett (South Stockton resident) expressed anger over the two-minute limit and urged the commission to consider the health impacts of air pollution on South Stockton residents, including asthma and COPD. She stated, "20 feet is not enough" and called for more protective setbacks.
• Lilliana Carmona (Stockton resident since 1976) shared her personal struggle with asthma, stating she was advised to leave Stockton and that she stays indoors to avoid exacerbating her condition.
• Alicia Valenzuela criticized the lack of transparent data on costs and impacts, the limited spatial analysis in staff exhibits, and argued that exceeding state standards is necessary to prevent chronic health issues.
• Ector Olivares accused the commission of prioritizing tax dollars over resident health, saying, "You really showed that you just don't care."
• Gloria Alonso Cruz (Little Manila Rising) highlighted barriers to community participation due to jargon, tight deadlines, and insufficient outreach to environmental justice organizations. She called for a more equitable participatory approach.

Discussion Items

• Item 5.1 – Request for Commission Use Permit (461 French Camp Road) – The applicant requested a continuance because they were unavailable. The commission voted 6-0 (Commissioner Hull absent) to continue the item to the October 12, 2023 meeting.

• Item 8.1 – Informational Study Session on Proposed Industrial Warehouse Development Standards – Staff presented draft zoning standards stemming from a December 2022 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the California Attorney General’s Office. Key points:

  • 26 original measures; 14 directly converted to code, 2 removed for redundancy, 4 thresholds changed, 6 with remaining issues.
  • Measures discussed included paint VOC levels, transportation refrigeration units (TRUs), loading dock setbacks (proposed 300-foot buffer vs. current 20-foot standard), landscape buffers (proposed 1-to-1 or 2-to-1 ratio), energy efficiency (Tier 2 CalGreen), solar/storage, EV fleet requirements, and Smartway program enrollment.
  • Staff displayed maps showing impact of 300-foot and 1,000-foot setbacks on industrial parcels, noting that a 1,000-foot buffer could render large sites undevelopable for warehouses.
  • Commissioners raised concerns about feasibility, cost, market competitiveness with surrounding cities, and the challenge of exceeding state standards. Vice Chair Nathaniel emphasized the need for cost analysis. Commissioner Thompson opposed exceeding state/local standards. Commissioner Boparai urged consideration of multiple zero-emission technologies (hydrogen, natural gas).
  • Staff reported over 15 outreach meetings with ad hoc committee, environmental and industry advisors, residents, and the Attorney General’s office. The ad hoc committee will not meet again; instead, a public study session is planned for October 12.
  • The commission discussed whether to explore measures exceeding state requirements, policy/land-use considerations, and future environmental justice efforts.

Key Outcomes

• Vote (6-0) to continue Item 5.1 to the October 12, 2023 Planning Commission meeting.
• No action taken on Item 8.1 – it was informational only.
• Staff will hold a public study session on October 12, 2023 to further discuss warehouse standards, with goal of presenting a recommendation to the City Council by December 31, 2023 per the MOA.
• Staff will refine GIS exhibits showing setback impacts on developable area and continue stakeholder outreach.