City of Gonzales
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: January 12, 2026
FROM: Taven Kinison Brown, Community Development Director THROUGH: Carmen Gil, City Manager
SUBJECT: Adoption of Ordinance No. 2025-155 Amending Chapter 12.56 - Zoning Districts
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council waive reading, read by title only and Adopt Ordinance No. 2025- 155, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City Of Gonzales, California, Amending Chapter 12.56 Summary Of Zoning Districts and Permitted Uses Of Title 12, Part 3 Zoning Districts.
BACKGROUND
On December 8, 2025, the City Council introduced, waived the first reading, and read by title only Ordinance 2025-155. Staff also presented a staff report and PowerPoint presentation. Public Notice for announcing the consideration and adoption of this ordinance was published November 26, 2025.
In an effort to incentivize investment in the city’s industrial park and potentially find new interest in smaller long-vacant, under-utilized industrial properties, staff has volunteered several new uses and more streamlined permitting processes for the district.
The community is unpleasantly aware that the city has no zoned and available land areas to accept ministorage and RV recreational vehicle storage. Neighborhood character in many instances is defined by “extra” vehicles blocking driveways, parking in front yards crushing landscapes and preventing the safe passage of pedestrians along sidewalks, forcing walkers and children to enter the street. Code Enforcement has been problematic as our citizens have no local options to store their RVs and meet their personal storage needs.
Staff has reviewed Table 1 of Section 12.56 Summary Of Zoning Districts And Permitted Uses to see AGENDA
ITEM
10 where particular additions and enhancements could be made within the Industrial District, where there are vacant and available properties to effect positive change for the City’s residential neighborhoods, as well as other additions and streamlined processes to effect increased investment and economic return in the Industrial District.
Public notice was provided in the local Salinas Valley Tribune, appearing on October 29, 2025, 20 days before action of the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission on Monday November 24, 2025, recommended 5-0 that the City Council adopt the attached Ordinance. Notice for the City Council consideration was published Wednesday November 26, 2025.
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS
The City has on occasion, opportunity to improve land use flexibility, reflect existing conditions, and better serve the needs of the City and district users. There are potential public benefits in allowing additional uses in the Industrial District and simplifying the permitting process to more easily permit such uses, such as allowing:
• 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.
• Retail uses that are neighborhood and city-serving, that are compatible with the mixed industrialcommercial character, and unlikely to generate adverse environmental effects beyond those previously analyzed.
• Medical services that have a negligible impact to traffic generation and infrastructure demand and can serve a vital public health and safety function in an industrial context; and • Caretaker or live/work dwelling units. Such allowed land uses in the industrial district can strengthen business models by deterring vandalism and theft.
Table 1 of Section 12.56 of the City Code sets out permitted and conditionally permitted uses in the City of Gonzales by zoning district. Notations of “C” mean that a particular use within a district designation requires a Conditional Use Permit, “P” indicates a Permitted Use, “T” indicates a requirement for a Temporary Use Permit, and an unchecked box, means that a use is presently disallowed in that district.
Staff has informally approached community members on occasion to determine public interest in allowing Recreational Vehicle and Equipment Storage and Ministorage in underutilized and vacant industrial areas and has found great interest. The Planning Commission on November 24, 2025, overwhelmingly showed their support for incentivizing these Recreational Vehicle and Equipment Storage and Ministorage uses in the industrial district.
Staff has clarified the particular Retail Uses to be (P) permitted in the Industrial District to enhance services for workers, adjacent neighborhoods and provide utility to the citizens of Gonzales, as follows:
• “Retail: Hardware store, tool sharpening and general sales, outdoor equipment, landscape materials, industrial and agricultural clothing and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), and other similar classes as determined by the Community Development Director.” Staff has clarified Retail here in this manner to avoid an inappropriate retail use in the Industrial District, such as a dress shop, children’s clothing, or other general-sales type uses that are not of a heavier rugged nature. The retail de cribbed here would potentially be inappropriate in or adjacent to residential areas.
To facilitate access to urgent care or occupational health services within proximity to industrial operations, Medical services will be changed from a Conditional Use Permit “C” requiring Planning Commission approval, to needing only site plan approval “P” from the Community Development Director.
To strengthen existing and proposed business operations by deterring vandalism and theft, Caretaker or live/work dwelling units will be changed from a Conditional Use Permit “C” requiring Planning Commission approval, to needing only site plan approval “P” from the Community Development Director.
Specific amendments are therefore proposed for the Industrial District to enhance its utility and reflect existing patterns of use. The following uses would be newly permitted (P), with applicable site plan review:
• Recreational Vehicle and Equipment Storage Yards (Change from to “P”) • Ministorage (Self-Storage) (Change from “C” to “P”)
• Retail Sales (Change from to “P”)
• Medical Services (Change from “C” to “P”)
• Caretaker or live/work dwelling units. (Change from “C” to “P”) Another way to view the suggested amendments to Table 1 of Chapter 12.56 would look like the summarized table below:
TABLE 1
PERMITTED AND CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED USES
Use R-1 R-1D R-2 MHP HC NC MU MU-CC I OS PF
Residential Uses
Caretaker or live/work dwelling units, attached or
detached
C P
Services
Ministorage C, P
Medical P C P P C, P P
Industrial Uses
Retail: Hardware store, tool sharpening and general
sales, outdoor equipment, landscape materials,
industrial and agricultural clothing and PPE (Personal
Protective Equipment), and other similar classes as
determined by the Community Development Director.
P
Vehicle Sales, Service And Related Activities
Recreational vehicle and equipment storage yard C P
The newly proposed permitted “P” uses are compatible with existing infrastructure capacity, circulation patterns, and surrounding land uses.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
In support of the City of Gonzles 2010 General Plan, a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.) (SCH#20091211017) was completed and released on August 2, 2010, for public review of 45 days. On December 3, 2010, Vol. 3 of the Final EIR and the City’s responses to comments was made available to each public agency, group and individual that submitted comments to the Draft EIR. On January 18, 2011, the City Council determined that the Final EIR reflected the City’s independent judgement and analysis as to the potential environmental effects of the 2010 General Plan.
Despite its 15-year age, the underlying goals and objectives regarding growth, land use patterns, and quality of life, remain valid in the City of Gonzales General Plan and the supporting EIR. The General Plan continues to prioritized preserving small-town character and enhancing economic opportunity and investment. As the community still holds these values and there has been no major community disruption, major growth or decline in this timeframe, the General Plan EIR is still timely here in 2025.
An addendum to a previous EIR may be prepared if only minor changes or additions are necessary to make the prior document adequate for the current project and the changes involve no new significant impacts or impacts substantially greater than previously identified in the EIR.
In consideration of the present effort to amend Chapter 12.56, Table 1 Summary of Zoning Districts and Permitted Uses, an Addendum to the 2010 City of Gonzales General Plan Environmental Impact Report has been prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15164.
The CEQA Guidelines provide that an EIR addendum need not be circulated for public review but is attached to the EIR. The decision-making body considers the addendum together with the certified EIR when making a decision on the current project.
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15164, the Planning Commission recommends that the City Council determine that the proposed amendments do not require a Subsequent or Supplemental EIR. The proposed changes:
1. Do not constitute substantial changes to the 2010 General Plan described in the original EIR that would involve new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified effects.
2. Do not involve new information of substantial importance that was not known at the time the previous EIR was certified, which would trigger further CEQA review.
The Planning Commission recommends that the City Council determine the amended uses are compatible with existing infrastructure capacity, circulation patterns, and surrounding land uses and will not have a negative environmental effect.
FINDINGS
Section 1. Environmental Findings
A. The Lead Agency finds that the proposed zoning text amendments are within the scope of the previously certified EIR. No new significant impacts would result, and preparation of a subsequent EIR is not required. The Addendum shall be attached to the original EIR.
Section 2. Findings for Amendment of the Zoning Code.
B. The amendments to the zoning code are consistent with the general plan.
The City General Plan land use designation of Industrial/Manufacturing would be affected by these text amendments. The General Plan provides that:
“The primary purpose of this designation is to define those areas that are appropriate for heavy industrial and manufacturing uses, the location of which my create land use conflicts with residential uses and schools. The emphasis is on agricultural services, but other types of industry compatible with the policies in the General Plan are encouraged. The designation permits industrial parks, light manufacturing, warehousing, wineries, auto and farm equipment sales or repair establishments, feed stores, lumber yards, construction supply companies, and similar compatible uses. Compatible highway serving uses like gas stations, restaurants and motels and truck stops are permitted in this area.”
The proposed amendments and streamlining provisions are consistent with the Industrial / Manufacturing General Plan land use designation.
C. The proposed zoning and/or amendment will be beneficial to and not detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare.
1. 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.
2. Retail uses that are neighborhood and city-serving, that are compatible with the mixed industrial-commercial character, and unlikely to generate adverse environmental effects beyond those previously analyzed.
3. Medical services that have a negligible impact to traffic generation and infrastructure demand and can serve a vital public health and safety function in an industrial context; and
4. Caretaker or live/work dwelling units. Such allowed land uses in the industrial district can strengthen business models by deterring vandalism and theft.
Allowing the additional uses of recreational vehicle and equipment storage yards, ministorage, industrial serving and neighborhood serving retail, emergency medical services, and caretaker live/work units (aka: 24-hour on-site security) in the Industrial District and streamlining the permitting process to permit such uses more easily, will enhance public health, safety, and welfare.
ALTERNATIVES
Not adopting Ordinance No. 2025-155 would keep the City in its present impasse in finding sufficient available land areas for investor interest to provide mini storage and RV storage areas in the City, extending indefinitely the City’s difficulties and exacerbating our neighborhood visual and safety decline.
Some of the amended uses could be determined by the City Council to benefit from a full Conditional Use Permit requirement before the Planning Commission and could be more bureaucratic and procedural than a Site Plan Review Process. The Commission though, in their deliberation of the matter, were satisfied that sufficient standards and scrutiny would be applied to the new uses and that a public hearing before the Commission was determined not to be necessary.
BUDGET IMPACT
In the spirit of advancing Economic Development, the Community Development Director has absorbed the workload for writing the new ordinance, environmental review, staff reports and public notices around other daily activities as called upon. Should investors wish to invest and propose a development that can include RV Storage and Ministorage, among the other uses proposed, property tax values and revenues will increase for the re-developed property. Code enforcement and police activities attributed to onproperty abandoned vehicles and illegal parked vehicles in neighborhoods are hoped to decrease as well.
SCHEDULE
Following a second reading and adoption of the ordinance, the new zoning provisions will be in-force 30 days later.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council waive reading, read by title only and Adopt Ordinance No. 2025- 155, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City Of Gonzales, California, Amending Chapter 12.56 Summary Of Zoning Districts and Permitted Uses Of Title 12, Part 3 Zoning Districts.
Attachments:
1. Ordinance No. 2025-155