City of Gonzales
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: March 16, 2026
FROM: Taven Kinison Brown, Community Development Director THROUGH: Carmen Gil, City Manager
SUBJECT: Community Development Department Activity Report
HOUSING
The Vista Lucia Specific Plan. City staff delivered the City’s annexation application to LAFCo on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. LAFCo is expected to reply by March 26, 2026.
The Housing Element. Placeworks Inc. continues in preparing the implementation programs for the 6th Cycle Housing Element. Placeworks’ aid to the City is being paid with our REAP 2.0 Grant administered through AMBAG. Staff is preparing the Housing Element Annual Progress Report to submit to HCD and the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI). This will appear on the Council’s April 6, 2026 Consent Agenda.
The Puente Del Monte Specific Plan. The City is presently underway collecting responses from responsible and trustee agencies for items to include in the EIR document under way in its preparation.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Freeway Oriented Electronic Billboard. The ribbon cutting was February 26, 2026. Potential advertisers can be directed to https://goldenbearoutdoor.com/ (831) 222-0567.
AGENDA
ITEM
7 Additionally, Anytime Fitness is close to having their building permit issued for their tenant improvement plans at the 5th Street Shopping Center. There will be two showers added to the bathroom remodel areas as well as small offices for management, membership and coaching.
Staff has encouraged Anytime Fitness to make contact with Golden Bear Outdoor to craft a “Coming Soon to Gonzales!” message, to build on the momentum the community is having lately with the new Community Center and new electronic billboard. And staff has prepared the sign company to receive the call from Anytime Fitness. Both parties are excited.
BUILDING DIVISION ACTIVITY
From February 1, 2026 – February 28, 2026 (28 reporting days) the City issued 8 permits for a water treatment system, electrical work for a solar installation, two ADUs, three re-roofs, and the final occupancy for the new Amor de Cafe. The estimated value of improvements was $415,477.20.
CODE ENFORCEMENT
The City continues to meet with property owners, inspect potential violations and start documentation to progress to remedies. In January, reports of unregistered vehicles parking on City streets, and potential health and dis-repair concerns at an apartment complex, and a case has been opened. In February and March, we are engaged in seeking the apartment repair and remediating health concerns.
CITY BUSINESS LICENSES
The City continues to actively review business activity in Gonzales and has made progress in bringing local businesses not operating with business licenses to become compliant. Coming in May and June, staff will be guiding the annual business license renewals for all business conducting activity in Gonzales.