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Planning recommends rezoning in northwest Turlock
planning
The Planning Commission recommended the City Council approve a number of zoning changes for parcels of land in the Northwest Triangle Specific Plan to allow for commercial development. - photo by Journal file photo

When the City of Turlock adopted the Northwest Triangle Specific Plan in 1995, the area that is now known as Monte Vista Crossings was made up mainly of agricultural land. Today the area is Turlock’s most successful retail shopping center and it attracts visitors from around the region, as well as those traveling along Highway 99. The steady growth of the approximately 800 acres along Hwy 99 from Taylor Road to Fulkerth Road was made possible through the specific plan.

“It was the City’s first plan and it led the way for how we do our master plans,” said Senior Planner Katie Quintero, when presenting a number of updates to the Northwest Triangle Specific Plan to the Planning Commission on Thursday.

The updates to the Northwest Triangle Specific Plan, which were unanimously recommended by the Commission, allow for the rezoning of five properties, approximately 60 acres in total, to allow for commercial development, along with a pre-zoning designation for 22 acres along West Monte Vista Avenue that isn’t currently in the City of Turlock limits but is seeking annexation.

Four properties (58 acres off Tegner Road and West Tuolumne) are currently zoned as Agricultural. Those property owners requested the zoning be changed to Community Commercial. Community Commercial provides for a full range of retail and personal service uses including apparel stores, offices, restaurants and other uses that serve a neighborhood or community wide market.

The owner of the 2.9-acre parcel of land adjacent to the Swanson-Centennial Park on Countryside Drive is requesting to have that property rezoned from Park to Community Commercial and Medium Density Residential. This designation will allow the property to develop entirely as commercial, residential or mixed use.

A 22-acre property at 3525 W. Monte Vista Ave. is not in the City limits but has been included in the Northwest Triangle Specific Plan boundary since 1995. The property has a Highway Commercial General Plan designation, but is not zoned. A Specific Plan update is required before this parcel can be annexed into the City and developed because an environmental determination is required.

Along with the rezoning requests, the update also includes changes to the Specific Plan text to account for the infrastructure changes that have been made over the past 30 years and changes to state and local regulations.

 

The Northwest Triangle Specific Plan updates will next go to the Turlock City Council for consideration.