MODESTO — The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday went against a planning commission recommendation and voted unanimously to approve an 80-space truck parking operation on Taylor Road in Turlock.
Pattar Trucking asked for a general plan amendment to rezone the land that is currently designed for agricultural use.
The proposal includes development of parking facilities for 12 passenger vehicle spaces, 80 tractor-trailer parking spaces, conversion of an existing 1,725 square-foot barn to a maintenance shop for light repairs, and conversion of a 1,933 square-foot single-family residence to an administrative office.
Located on 10 acres at 4325 W. Taylor Road, between Highway 99 and North Washington Road just west of Highway 99, Pattar Trucking had received fierce opposition from neighbors, as well as the City of Turlock.
Turlock City Attorney George Petrulakis, a land-use and environmental regulation attorney, represented Pattar Trucking before the board.
“I think the public has some confidence now through the work of the ad hoc committee and the policies that are going to be coming forth from the planning commission and the board that there aren’t going to be an over-concentration of these facilities,” said Petrulakis. “I think the anti-concentration methodology that’s been developed has made these issues quite a bit easier for the community.”
Petrulakis pointed out that the staff report said “the subject application is an appropriate location, within a half mile of a desirable interchange for truck parking and the project design clings with the ad committee recommendation,” said Petrulakis.
Supervisor Vito Chiesa (District 2), who represents Turlock, serves on the truck parking subcommittee, along with Carmen Morad, the planning commission chair.
“The location here is a very good location as far as proximity,” said Chiesa. “We talk about trying to get them close to the freeway ... but Turlock is not excited about this at all, but is allowing it to move forward. But the location is good.
“I’m going to tell everyone, ‘You’ve got to be a good neighbor, because this will circle back if you’re not a good neighbor.”
Since adoption of an ordinance amendment in 2012, the Stanislaus County Planning Department received 27 use-permit applications for truck parking in the A-2 (agricultural) zoning district, and five applications to amend the general plan and/or zoning designations of agricultural land to planned development for facilities exceeding 12 trucks and 24 trailers.
Of those 32 applications, 23 were submitted after 2021, according to the staff report.
In recent years, the county has seen a steady rise in complaints related to unpermitted truck parking uses on ag-zoned land.
Between 2014 and 2020, the county received a relatively consistent number of complaints.
