Stockton Planning Commission Meeting – September 11, 2025
Stockton Planning Commission Meeting – September 11, 2025
The Planning Commission convened on September 11, 2025, at 5:31 PM. The meeting included public comments on air quality and warehouse development, a postponed item for the South Stockton Commerce Center, and a public hearing on a code amendment to implement the 2023-2031 Housing Element. The commission voted 6-1 to recommend the amendment to City Council, with one commissioner dissenting.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mary Elizabeth spoke about CEQA notification and requested improved public outreach, such as an "Ask Stockton" notification category, and voiced concerns about the city relying on minimal notification requirements.
- Pat Barrett, a District 6 resident, urged commissioners to research the warehouse ordinance and the air quality issues in South Stockton (AB 617 area, TCC, ranked 10th in state for worst air congestion). She requested strong representation against warehousing for District 6.
- Matthew Lester expressed deep concern about air quality and public health impacts of potential warehouse development, noting his brother's asthma and Stockton's poor air quality.
Discussion Items
- Item 5.2: City-Initiated Ordinance Amending Title 16 (Housing Element Compliance) – Staff presented a minor code amendment to meet state requirements. The amendment adds a footnote to the land use table (Table 2-2) ensuring that housing projects with at least 20% affordable units are allowed by right (no discretionary review), except for subdivision maps which remain discretionary. This implements Program 3 of the certified 2023-2031 Housing Element, addressing repeat vacant sites from previous cycles.
- Commissioners debated concerns about enforcement of affordability requirements, potential for developers to renege on affordable units, and the definition of affordable housing. Staff clarified that the law already exists at the state level and this codification removes hurdles. The city is already pro-housing by allowing multifamily by right in many zones. Only about 20-30 repeat sites are affected.
Key Outcomes
- The commission approved Resolution 2025-09-11-0502 by a vote of 6-1 (moved by Terry Hull, seconded by Jeff Sanguinetti). Voting yes: Hull, Graves, Muetzenberg, Amen, Sanguinetti, Hernandez. Voting no: Pandora Crowder. The resolution finds no further CEQA review required and recommends adoption of the ordinance amending SMC Title 16, Chapter 16.20, Section 16.20.020 to City Council.
- Commissioner Crowder dissented, expressing concern that the amendment does not include enforcement mechanisms to ensure the 20% affordable units are actually built.
Commissioner Comments
- Chair Sanguinetti clarified the reasoning behind a one-minute public comment limit and encouraged written suggestions for improving notifications.
- Commissioner Crowder thanked staff and SPD for shutting down an unlicensed smoke shop, and suggested using the "Ask Stockton" app for CEQA document notifications.
- Commissioner Amen requested an informational item on the history of the 300-foot notification radius and the potential impact of expanding it to 700 feet. Staff agreed to provide baseline information at a future meeting.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 6:32 PM.
Meeting Transcript
I want to welcome everybody to the city of Stockton's Planning Commission held uh nine eleven twenty twenty-five. Um given today's date, we'll take a moment of silence and then we'll go from there. Okay. Um roll call, please. Chair Sangetti. Present. Vice Chairman? Present. Commissioner Graves. Here. Commissioner Hall. Present. Commissioner Crowder. Chair. Commissioner Amen. Present. Commissioner Hernandez. Here. We have a quorum. Great. We have a full commission tonight. I'm very happy to see that. Um I want to commend everybody. Um so we're on that note, we're gonna have Commissioner Graves lead us in our Pledge of Allegiance. If that's okay. Um, we don't really have an item three to adopt tonight. So we do have one announcement. And that and it'll be that item five point one is then pulled from our calendar. We don't know when it's gonna come back, so if there's anybody in the audience that's gonna want to speak on that item, they can hold it until it comes back. And that um that's probably the best approach. There's no reason to speak on it here tonight in the public comment because you'll just be repeating yourself when it comes. So on that basis, I'm gonna open up public comment. And if you do speak on it, you're gonna be limited to one minute. Chair, just to confirm that um it has to be uh regardless of topic matter. So just to be clear, the public comment is limited to one minute for the public comment. Is that correct? Yes. Okay, thank you, sir. Thank you. Okay, so um, we're open for public comment. First is Mary Elizabeth, Mary Elizabeth. I object to uh one minute. The Delta Sierra group has requested that sequin notification via an AS Stockton category be initiated as a simple means to improve public outreach. Yet the city staff continues to rely on minimum required notification. One posting on the second floor of the county, and uh a newspaper announcement. I received uh the same email that uh you all must have as well regarding the postponement of 5.1 uh regarding public notification. Um I adds asked the same thing in my letter to the planning commission 2021. Yet uh the disclosure of the written notification was not provided at that time. I asked that there be a notification of the planning commission when there is a sequel document available for review. Pat Barrett thank you because I just want to say to the newbies, okay, because you not everybody's fullware, although you did speak for this.
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