Turlock’s industrial park is one step closer to a new name: Turlock Regional Industrial Park.

 “It's a nice name,” said Turlock Planning Commissioner Soraya Fregosi, as the commission on Thursday unanimously approved the name change.

Since the park’s inception, the development has been known as the “Westside Industrial Specific Plan.” But planners fear the somewhat confusing moniker, which does not allude to Turlock or the park’s nature, has turned away some potential occupants.

The new name, drafted by a special advisory committee of business leaders and city staff, was chosen over other suggestions such as “West Coast Business Park” and “Turlock Industrial Gateway.”

The renaming effort still awaits final Turlock City Council approval, expected at the council’s regularly scheduled 7 p.m. Sept. 13 meeting.

Corn, hay maze planned for Turlock

What last year was a pumpkin patch will this year expand to include a corn and hay maze, pending Stanislaus County Planning approval.

R.A.M. Farms, located on N. Daubenberger between W. Hawkeye and East Avenue, has filed a permit for a 14-acre corn maze and a 10,000 square foot hay maze, in addition to an existing 11,900 square foot pumpkin patch.

The mazes and pumpkin patch would be open from Oct. 1 through Oct. 30, from 12 noon to dusk Sunday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The pumpkin patch, selling pumpkins, heirloom pumpkins, squashes and gourds, would remain open through November.

County Planning is expected to consider the corn and hay maze on their Tuesday agenda.

Mi Pueblo Food Center still in the works

While ground has yet to be broken on the approved Mi Pueblo Food Center, Turlock officials confirmed Thursday the project is still underway.

According to Turlock Planning Manager Debbie Whitmore, the city has received numerous development permits from Mi Pueblo, who she termed as moving forward “aggressively” on the project.

The 36,000 square foot full-service Mexican grocery store, planned for the intersection of West Main Street and South Soderquist Avenue in the former site of Dollar City, will offer a carniceria, fresh produce, bakeries with fresh goods throughout the day, a hot Mexican deli with seating area, a tortelleria, and a customer service center with check cashing, utility payments, and money transfers. The development will remodel 104,000 square feet of retail which previously housed a Dollar City and a furniture store, while offering new and upgrading landscaping and storm drainage improvements to benefit the entire neighborhood.