By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Lathrop may allow industrial projects west of Interstate 5
esisting Lathrop City Logo copy
The current logo has been used by the city since the early 1990s. - photo by HIME ROMERO/The Bulletin

While residential development is booming in Lathrop, there will be at least one piece of land west of I-5 that won’t be developed for homes or dwellings.

If the Lathrop City Council approves it this week in a special meeting the draft general plan land use map, a sizable tract of land within the Central Lathrop Specific Plan – a 675-acre parcel north of Dos Reis Road and west of I-5 – will have its zoning changed from residential to light industrial because of the issues with developing homes in the area.

The special meeting will take place on Wednesday, July 7 at 5 p.m. at Lathrop City Hall – located at 390 Towne Centre Drive.

According to the staff report prepared for the meeting, newly-defined 200-year flood improvements need to be made to the existing levees by 2028 – and they could be cut off sooner if Lathrop is not able to meet the annual findings of “adequate progress” towards reaching that goal.

The cost of retrofitting the levees in Reclamation District 17 that protect the Central Lathrop Central Plan area is expected to be around $250 million.

“Residential building permits cannot be issued after 2028 unless the 200-year flood improvements are complete and will be stopped earlier if Lathrop cannot guarantee Adequate Progress toward completing the improvements by 2028,” the staff report reads. “However, building permits for industrial projects can continue to be issued after 2028 if all discretionary permits are received.

“Due to the risk of terminating residential building permits, and conversely the ability to issue industrial building permits, plus the high demand for industrial property in Lathrop, the change is recommended to rezone this area to Light Industrial uses.”

The public will have the opportunity to share their concerns about any of the possible changes to existing land uses as part of the general plan update process.

It has taken the city and the consultant hired to help execute the first ever update the city’s general plan three years to make it to this point. The general plan is typically regarded as steering document that helps determine how a city will grow moving forward.

And when it comes to the rural area that is facing the change, the city believes that it will be able to allow for light industrial development in that area without impacting the day-to-day operation of residents to the south or nearby Lathrop High School.

“This change provides opportunities for increased local employment, the generation of tax revenues for the City and a higher degree of certainty for the development community,” the staff report reads. “The General Plan Land Use element will include policies and actions that would require buffers between future light industrial area and the existing Lathrop High School campus and residential uses to the south.

“Policies and actions will also be developed to establish truck routes within this area that divert truck trips away from thee high school and residential areas in order to access I-5.”

For additional information, or to obtain a copy of the staff report or other documents pertaining to the special meeting, 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.