Community Vision
March 2019
www.lathrop.generalplan.org
Prepared for:
City of Lathrop, CA
General Plan Update
Prepared By:
De Novo Planning Group
120 Suncast Ln, Suite 106
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
Contents:
Community Vision Statement
Sense of Community
Quality of Life
Successful Centers
Economic Advancement
Circulation & Mobility
Community Health
Sustainability & Conservation
Lathrop is a desirable community to
live, learn, work, and play. Lathrop has
maintained its small-town character and
feel, while growing into a healthy and vibrant
mid-size city that celebrates its surrounding
environmental resources, agricultural heritage,
and cultural diversity. Our community is
healthy, safe and family-oriented, with thriving
schools, parks, shops, entertainment, and
businesses. Well-maintained infrastructure,
and a diverse mix of services and amenities
draws new residents, and dynamic businesses
and development to the city. Lathrop offers
livable affordable neighborhoods, schools,
and parks and recreation facilities that are
connected by an expansive network of
paths and trails. Circulation and mobility
improvements have led to a well-connected
transportation system that allows residents and
visitors to safely move about the community
in a variety of ways, including by car, walking,
biking, and other alternative transportation
modes. The community is fiscally sound, and
offers abundant employment and economic
advancement opportunities to a diverse and
creative workforce.
The Lathrop Community Vision is an aspirational statement of what Lathrop wants to become through the implementation of its General Plan. The Vision Statement provides a sense of purpose and mission for the General Plan, and sets the tone for the Plan’s guiding principles and core values to aid in the development of goals, policies and actions that will guide development in the coming years. The Community Vision combines values expressed through community workshops, and online surveying conducted during the initial stages of the General Plan Update.
Community Vision and Values
Core Values:
Sense of Community
Quality of Life
Successful Centers
Economic Advancement
Circulation & Mobility
Community Health
Sustainability & Conservation
Vision:
Foster a sense of community unique to Lathrop that celebrates the area’s history, cultural diversity, and family-friendly atmosphere. As the City grows, the community retains the feel and charm of a small town. The community’s distinguishing physical characteristics, including waterways and river corridors, hillside views, and nearby areas of expansive agricultural lands that provide visual relief from the built environment are highly valued as an important part of the community’s sense of place, small town charm, and rural character. Existing residents are proud to call Lathrop home, and new residents and families are attracted by Lathrop’s strong sense of community and family-friendly lifestyle. Businesses want to locate here because Lathrop’s strong community values has led to a diverse and stable workforce.
Core Value & Vision: Sense of Community
Quality of life is central to Lathrop’s identity. Lathrop provides a strong sense of community and high standard of living for its citizens through sustaining strong local programs that ensure high quality services, diverse cultural amenities, and excellent educational opportunities that are accessible to all residents. Building on these assets to strengthen quality of life for the common good continues to make Lathrop a great place to live and do business. New development opportunities help to provide and maintain the City’s fiscal sustainability and the provision of reliable and responsive public services, amenities, and infrastructure. Desirable housing options are available for all ages and income groups, including attainable housing for firsttime homeowners, family housing, and homes for seniors.
Core Value & Vision: Quality of Life
I
ncreased retail options, and experience-oriented entertainment services are provided through the expansion of local commercial activities, retention of existing successful commercial businesses, supporting the development of new centers, and through the redevelopment and revitalization of under-performing commercial centers. New commercial areas provide many opportunities for residents and visitors to shop, eat, and recreate in Lathrop, while bringing increased sales tax revenues to the City, which helps to fund a wide range of public services. Supporting the development and redevelopment of commercial centers that focus on providing a unique experience that cannot be replicated through online shopping ensures a viable commercial environment. This includes providing a range of quality dining, shopping, and entertainment options for all generations, so people who live and work in Lathrop visit and shop at the community’s commercial centers. Including gathering spaces like public plazas and outdoor dining patios helps the community to create a more enjoyable commercial environment. Bringing commercial, residential, and civic uses closer together in mixed use environments to support commercial development, creates vibrant, healthy and accommodating commercial areas in the city.
Core Value & Vision: Successful Centers
Support and encourage the expansion of business that provide high wage employment, opportunities for economic advancement, and enhance the City’s reputation as a prime location for business growth.
Lathrop has everything a business needs to thrive and grow. It is centrally located within a 30-minute commute of Tracy, Manteca, Stockton, Lodi, Lathrop, Livermore and Pleasanton, and is located within the metropolitan triangle that is bounded by the Bay Area, Stockton and Sacramento. The city has regionally superior access to strategic markets along several major transportation corridors. New office and industrial research and development uses and commercial developments provide opportunities for workers at all levels to find work close to their homes. Strong demand for housing from the Bay Area makes Lathrop an attractive and affordable option that draws families and workers from out of town, while enhancing Lathrop’s image as a full-service live-work community. Additionally, comprehensive Master Planned residential communities and business parks provide for well-planned residential workforce and executive housing and programmed shovel-ready sites for business development opportunities that are attractive to businesses seeking expand or re-locate to the city.
Core Value & Vision: Economic Advancement
Cars have traditionally been, and will continue to be a vital part of Lathrop’s transportation network. However, as the city continues to grow, additional emphasis is placed on alternative ways of getting around, including walking, bicycling, and public transit. Increasing the safety and functionality of the entire circulation system is a high priority for the City. Lathrop’s future incorporates concepts of “complete streets” that serve all modes of transportation, not just cars. The City also acknowledges that there are several strategic opportunities to enhance public safety through improved bicycle and pedestrian routes and amenities, while also improving traffic flow through better public transit, and limiting truck routes to areas of the city deemed necessary and appropriate.
Core Value & Vision: Circulation & Mobility
Promote a healthy and active lifestyle in Lathrop by providing local recreation facilities and programs for users of all ages and abilities.
Improved community health and wellness is also encouraged through local and regional efforts to improve access to health care and health care facilities, ample accessible healthy and affordable food options, and safe multimodal transportation options. Educational and youth programs support community health and wellness goals and Lathrop’s youth are engaged in social programs that support physical, and mental health.
Core Value & Vision: Community Health
Lathrop is a steward of its resources for current and future generations. The City maintains an active role in promoting, educating and conducting sustainable practices throughout the community. Development in the city occurs in a sustainable manner through the use of Green Building techniques and best practices.
Lathrop continues to work with other local, regional and statewide agencies to ensure improved air quality, and continued access to clean water for all residents. The City supports the preservation of surrounding regional open-space, agricultural lands, and river habitat that provide a sense of place, opportunities for a wide range of recreational activities, and visual relief from urban development. These efforts work to collectively enhance the small town rural character of the area, protect critical environmental resources, and improve the overall quality of life in Lathrop.
Core Value & Vision: Sustainability & Conservation
www.lathrop.generalplan.org