Flying J might not be the only truck stop off the Roth Road exit at Interstate 5.

On Monday the Lathrop City Council will consider contracting with the firm responsible for executing the city’s general plan update with tackling the environmental work required to review a proposal to construct a truck travel plaza on the west side of I-5 at Roth Road.

Being proposed on an 11-acre site by Singh Petroleum Investments Inc., the project would require annexation into Lathrop’s city limits and would involve a general plan amendment, prezone, conditional use permit, and site plan review – complicating the processing of the application.

The city has in the past contracted with the De Novo Planning Group to perform environmental study work on a number of projects including the Flying J Truck Stop on the east side of I-5 at Roth Road, and the firm is also tackling the general plan update for both Lathrop and Manteca as well as Lathrop’s housing element update and the South Lathrop Specific Plan project – which will include the Stanford Crossing housing development.

The applicant has already executed a funding agreement with the city to cover the cost of the work – estimated at $174,720, including the city’s administrative fee – and council approval would allow for the contract work to continue as proposed.

According to the proposal for the environmental impact report review that was created by the city for the project, the travel plaza is expected to include a 12,000 square foot building, a 7,500 square foot truck repair facility, and a fueling facility with 7 truck islands and 8 car islands.

If the proposed project schedule is followed, the EIR could be up for council consideration as early as May of 2021 and a proposal to get on the calendar for the Local Agency Formation Commission – which has to approve the annexation – would then be scheduled.

It will take a team of at least three people to execute the steps necessary to complete the EIR and steer the project through the steps required as well as De Novo’s support staff – freeing up the city’s development staff to focus on other projects that are on the horizon.

The Lathrop City Council is scheduled to meet on Monday, Aug. 10, at 7 p.m. at Lathrop City Hall – located at 390 Towne Centre Drive. Public remote participation in the meeting because of the COVID-19 pandemic is still available. For additional information on how to join the meeting remotely visit the City of Lathrop’s website at www.ci.lathrop.ca.us.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.