City of Gonzales
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: September 15, 2025
FROM: Taven Kinison Brown, Community Development Director THROUGH: Carmen Gil, City Manager
SUBJECT: Activity Report
HOUSING
The Vista Lucia Specific Plan has two second readings of ordinances on this September 15, 2025 agenda.
Following Council action, Monday, staff will be meeting with LAFCo staff on Tuesday morning to discuss the City’s application to annex the project areas.
Following City Council actions on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, the story was covered in three local media outlets with articles addressing the City Council’s Actions:
KSBW
<https://www.ksbw.com/article/gonzales-approves-vista-lucia-affordable-housing-project/65987537> Monterey County Weekly
https://www.montereycountynow.com/news/local_news/gonzales-city-council-votes-5-0-to-approvelong-delayed-3-500-home-development/article_7a006ca1-e8c8-409e-9827- ede9b41e7c77.html#tncms-source=mosaic
<https://www.montereycountynow.com/news/local_news/gonzales-city-council-votes-5-0-toapprove-long-delayed-3-500-home-development/article_7a006ca1-e8c8-409e-9827- ede9b41e7c77.html>
Carmel Pine Cone - Front page, lower right corner
<https://carmelpinecone.com/250905PC.pdf>
The Housing Element. Once the contract is signed, staff will meet with Placeworks Inc. to kick-off a new scope of work to develop the implementation programs for the 6th Cycle Housing Element. Placeworks’ AGENDA
ITEM
10 assistance to the city is being paid through our REAP 2.0 Grant administered through AMBAG.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Staff is shaping a Shop Local Awareness Program to highlight the existing businesses and services in the community. Staff has also begun a regular practice of visiting active businesses in the City of Gonzales annually to foster improved communications with City Hall and to directly bring City information to businesses. Staff is listening very carefully to learn how we can be of better assistance to our business community.
Freeway Electronic Sign. October may be the soonest we can expect a groundbreaking press-event for the new freeway-oriented billboard sign that will be erected west of Hwy 101, according to the sign company.
Zoning Code Enhancements for the Industrial District. To leverage economic development and increased investment in our Industrial District, staff is preparing to amend the Conditional and Permitted uses table for industrial area land uses in the City Code. Items under consideration include:
• Recreational Vehicle; Equipment Storage and Ministorage uses to support decongestion of public streets and residential areas by providing legal, designated storage areas, potentially improving neighborhood visual and traffic conditions elsewhere in the City. • Retail uses; that are business and resident serving, which are compatible with the mixed industrial-commercial character, and unlikely to generate adverse environmental effects. • Medical services; such as may be characterized by an “Urgent Care” facility that would complement industrial safety, without need for travel elsewhere. • Caretaker or live/work dwelling units; attached or detached. Would allow assured on-site security with immediate response. Strengthens business models by deterring vandalism and theft.
PLANNING DIVISION ACTIVITY
A Site Plan application (PL2025-00004) from Ace Hardware to move the existing store on 5th Street to a vacant underutilized 4.17-acre parcel on Alpine Drive in the Industrial District has been withdrawn for reasons not shared with the City. We have interest in the same property though from another business person who has successfully constructed several mini-storage and RV storage facilities elsewhere. Staff has met directly with the new business person and we both are looking forward to developing new uses and activities there.
BUILDING DIVISION ACTIVITY
From August 1, 2025, to August 31, 2025, the City issued a total of 15 permits, 1 for an ADU garage conversion, water heaters, reroofs, photovoltaic work with solar installations, and issued a permit for the City’s Industrial Wastewater Treatment Facility (IWTF). The estimated value of improvements was $241,030 (Not including the IWTF).
CODE ENFORCEMENT
The City continues to meet with property owners, inspect potential violations and start documentation to progress to remedies. No new cases were opened in August. Present cases involve operational and nonoperational vehicles in yards, garbage and furniture in yards.
CITY BUSINESS LICENSES
Through the end of July, City staff completed the record keeping for the annual business license renewals required of business who serve the City. Staff has refreshed departmental practices and record keeping approaches and are utilizing the new software program previously purchased by the City. Two hundred thirty-eight (238) business licenses for fiscal 2025-2026 were renewed or newly issued - of which 28 of those are business which previously were not working in the City of Gonzales or were operating without a business license.
COMMUNITY-WIDE GARAGE SALES & CLEANUP EVENT
The Free Community-wide Garage Sales event is happening on Saturday & Sunday, October 11th- 12th.
Sign up by 4:00pm on October 10th. Register at City Hall or online at <https://tinyurl.com/Garage-Sales> Clear the clutter & make some money. This does not affect your annual garage sale limit. We advertise your sale on our website & social media. After sales, bring your unsold items for donation, trash & recycling to the Cleanup event on October 18th. Please see flyers attached for more information.
Attachments:
1. Garage Sale & Cleanup Day Flyers