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2026-2028 City of Livingston Strategic Plan
2026-2027
CITY OF LIVINGSTON
STRATEGIC PLAN
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2026-2028 City of Livingston Strategic Plan
ABOUT CITY OF LIVINGSTON 3
LEADERSHIP 7
MISSION, VISION, & VALUES 9
CORE SERVICES 11
AREAS OF STRATEGIC FOCUS 13
1. Community Identity & Quality of Life 14
2. Fiscal Responsibility & Governance 15
3. Housing & Neighborhood Stability 16
4. Community Safety & Public Health 17
5. Infrastructure & Public Services 18
6. Economic Development & Growth Management 19
CITY MANAGER LETTER 20
Index
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2026-2028 City of Livingston Strategic Plan
ABOUT CITY OF LIVINGSTON
Livingston is a City on the move and is in a period of transition and transformation due to new residential and commercial development. The community is rapidly becoming a premier ethnically diverse, residential, commercial and industrial center in Merced County and Central Valley. It is strategically located along one of California’s major freeway arteries and is just two hours from San Francisco, the Pacific Coast and the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The city of Livingston is located near Highway 99, providing easy access to other parts of the county, the Central Valley and the rest of California. As is typical in Merced County and the Central Valley, agriculture is the cornerstone of Livingston's economy.
The city is home to one of Foster Farms' largest poultry processing plants, which is a major employer in the county. Cultural diversity is celebrated in the city, with events that reflect the community's strong Hispanic and Sikh heritage.
Merced County’s current economic condition is composed of its economic, physical, and social environments. These environments are connected and influence each other. For example, the physical environment is the infrastructure (streets, utilities, development sites, etc.); the social environment consists of population, income, housing, health, and safety; and the economic environment encompasses the industry mix, jobs and employment which are all influenced by physical and social characteristics. Achieving a balance among these environments is necessary to create and sustain a socioeconomically healthy community.
Merced County covers 2,000 square miles and has a population of 297,700.
Livingston is a thriving community with strong family values. Livingston is experiencing significant growth from urban and commercial development. Through all the projects embarked, the City's focus is to provide its residents with quality services while retaining their family focused values.
Livingston lies in the fertile San Joaquin Valley. Like the rest of the valley, it has long, dry summers and mild winters, alternating between fog, rain, and sun. Livingston is considered a primary hub of the agriculture industry due to its fertile soil. Some of the major agricultural industries/crops are:
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2026-2028 City of Livingston Strategic Plan
Agriculture
Merced County is one of the most productive agricultural areas in the County with $1.75 billion in annual products and $6.5 billion in economic impacts. Agriculture will continue to be economically important to Livingston. The main agricultural products produced in the Livingston area include:
Chickens and Turkeys
The Foster Farms poultry company headquarters and main processing plant are located in Livingston. The chicken ranches import most of their feed from other parts of the United States. The tallest building in the area is the Foster Farms grain elevator located in Delhi, right outside the Livingston City limits
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Dairy
Merced County is the second largest dairy producer in California, right behind Tulare County. The Joseph Gallo Dairy, just outside Livingston, has the single largest dairy herd in the United States. Neighboring towns (especially Hilmar) have many more dairy cattle. According to statistics from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Merced County had 305 operating dairies in 2006, down from the 327 dairies in 2005 and 335 dairies in 2000. While the number of diaries has gone down, the number of milk cows increased by 4,000 during that 12-month period. Dairy farmers and industry experts say recent increases in feed costs, tightened environmental regulations and growing pressure to sell land for development are among the factors that could be pushing some dairies to close.
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Grapes
Joseph Gallo, Ernest and Julio Gallo, the Arkelian family, and many family farmers grow grapes for wine, the table and raisin-making. Ernest and Julio Gallo have a major grape pressing operation near Livingston.
Sweet Potatoes
Ninety percent of the sweet potatoes grown west of the Rockies are grown and packed in Livingston, Delhi and Atwater. The sweet potatoes benefit from the sandy soil in the area.
Other Crops
Other crops grown in the Livingston area include barley, wheat, corn, soybeans, onions, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, melons, peaches and alfalfa. Most of the peach orchards have been replaced by almonds. The alfalfa, soybeans and corn are grown to support the dairies.
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2026-2028 City of Livingston Strategic Plan
ELECTED OFFICIALS
Elected Officials serve on regional and statewide boards, committees, commissions, and task forces to advance and protect the interests of the residents of the City of Livingston. Every member of the governing body is expected to take committee assignments and attend all committee meetings. Summarized below are the respective assignments:
Gurpal Samra, Mayor Pro-Tem
Jose A. Moran, Mayor
Robert Wallis
Council Member
Jason Roth
Council Member
Japjeet Singh Uppal
Council Member
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2026-2028 City of Livingston Strategic Plan
Board/Commission/Committee Representative/Liaison Alternate Merced County Association of
Governments (MCAG) Governing
Board
Gurpal Samra Jose
Moran
Merced County Local Agency
Formation Commission (LAFCO) Jason Roth
Central Valley Division League of
California Cities Jose Moran Japjeet Uppal
Merced County Mosquito Abatement
District Board of Directors Gurpal Samra Jason Roth
Special City Selection Committee of the
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control
Board
Robert Wallis Japjeet
Uppal
City Council Liaison - Livingston
Planning Commission Jason Roth Robert Wallis
City Council Liaison - Parks, Recreation
and Arts Commission Jose Moran Japjeet Uppal
Utility Stakeholders Committee Japjeet Uppal Robert
Wallis
Merced Integrated Regional Water
Management Plan (MIRWMA) Japjeet Uppal Robert Wallis
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2026-2028 City of Livingston Strategic Plan
MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES
The City of Livingston has a formally adopted Community Vision, Mission Statement, and Community Values as part of its strategic planning framework.
Mission
The City's mission is to:
Protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents; ensure quality development that preserves Livingston's small-town character; deliver responsive and efficient municipal services; encourage a culturally diverse community; and promote a diversified economy that supports the City's long-term financial stability.
Vision
Livingston's vision is to be:
A city that preserves its scenic beauty and unique character while providing educational, cultural, recreational, historic, and economic opportunities for its diverse population. The city envisions itself as a regional center for agriculture, warehousing, light manufacturing, and retail commerce, while maintaining a high quality of life and vibrant community.
Key themes in the vision include:
• Preserving natural beauty and environmental quality
• Maintaining a rural, open, small-town character
• Supporting diverse housing and neighborhoods
• Developing safe and attractive transportation networks • Encouraging environmentally compatible economic development • Providing efficient municipal services
• Working cooperatively with regional partners and other governments.
Core Values
Livingston's community values emphasize:
• Environmental stewardship and preservation of natural resources • Orderly, attractive, and high-quality development
• Public safety and community well-being
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• Strong community spirit and citizen participation
• Welcoming diversity and encouraging volunteerism
• Efficient and effective public services
• Honest, dependable, ethical, and accountable government • Cultural and recreational opportunities for residents • Regional cooperation and shared responsibility.
These values are the community's "non-negotiable core principles" and are intended to guide planning, budgeting, capital improvements, service delivery, and future growth.
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CORE SERVICES
The City of Livingston is a full-service municipal government that provides a broad range of services to residents, businesses, and visitors. The city’s core services include:
Public Safety
• Police services and law enforcement
• Fire protection services (provided through Merced County/Cal Fire partnerships) Utilities
• Water supply and distribution
• Wastewater (sewer) collection and treatment
• Storm drainage services
• Sanitation/garbage services (currently provided through a contracted vendor) Public Works & Infrastructure
• Street construction and maintenance
• Street lighting, traffic signals, and signage maintenance • Engineering and inspection services
• Maintenance of public infrastructure and facilities
Community Development
• Planning and zoning
• Building permits and inspections
• Economic development programs
• Development review and code-related services
Parks & Recreation
• Recreation programs
• Community events and activities
• Park maintenance and recreational facilities management DRAFT
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General Government Services
• City administration
• City Council and governance support
• Budgeting and finance
• Customer service and utility billing
• Boards and commissions support
In short, the City of Livingston's primary responsibilities are public safety, utilities, infrastructure maintenance, community development, recreation, and municipal administration, making it responsible for most day-to-day local government functions within the city.
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2026-2028 City of Livingston Strategic Plan
AREAS OF STRATEGIC FOCUS
1. Community Identify & Quality of Life
2. Fiscal Responsibility & Government
3. Housing & Neighborhood Stability
4. Community Safety & Public Health
5. Infrastructure & Public Services
6. Economic Development & Growth Management
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2026-2028 City of Livingston Strategic Plan
Enhance Livingston’s sense of place through recreation, culture, and inclusive community programs.
Key Priorities:
• Complete the Recreation Complex (Rec Plex) and expand recreational amenities.
• Develop new community attractions such as a skate park and/or water park. • Create a safe bike and walking path network.
• Require green space integration in all new developments. • Expand youth engagement programs, including internships for high school and college students.
• Increase family-oriented recreation (camping, fishing, outdoor programming). • Preserve Livingston’s small farm community identity while allowing a balanced mix of housing types.
• Promote public art, color, and cultural expression throughout the city.
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Ensure transparent, accountable, and community-driven decision-making.
Key Priorities:
• Improve community notification systems (accessible communications). • Maintain strict adherence to budget and financial policies. • Align funding decisions with clearly defined city priorities. • Increase public participation
• Evaluate governance structures such as city council districts and term limits. • Host at least two (2) town halls between January-February 2027 to solicit community feedback and inform the creation of a multi-year Strategic Plan, with at least one (1) of these town halls hosted at a school site. • Revamp the City’s website
• Full itemization of the City’s budget available for public view DRAFT
2026-2028 City of Livingston Strategic Plan
Promote accessible, diverse, and stable housing opportunities.
Key Priorities:
• Partner with affordable housing developers to secure funding and build new units.
• Encourage development of moderate-income single-family housing. • Explore rent assistance, homebuyer grants, and incentive programs to retain residents locally.
• Support policies that maintain neighborhood stability and long-term residency.
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Protect residents through strong emergency services and proactive health initiatives.
Key Priorities:
• Ensure the fire department is fully staffed.
• Plan for a second fire station to meet future demand. • Increase street and public area lighting.
• Implement smoke-free policies in multi-unit housing and shared public spaces. • Promote community cohesion, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. • Integrate environmental sustainability and public health into city planning. • Develop wellness and intergenerational spaces for community healing and connection.
• Address youth & adult mental health issues
• Address low parent engagement and awareness of available resources • Increasing the role of City Departments, Faith-Based Organizations, Local Health Clinics, County & Businesses working collaboratively (Strengthen Cross-Sector Collaboration to address Community Needs)
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Invest in reliable, sustainable infrastructure to support current and future growth.
Key Priorities:
• Expand water capacity and ensure safe, clean drinking water for all residents. • Upgrade and expand the wastewater treatment plant.
• Establish a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for water and wastewater systems.
• Develop additional water wells.
• Complete key projects such as the Rec Plex.
• Improve stormwater systems, including pump station renovations. • Implement workforce development programs to recruit and train firefighters and police officers.
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Encourage sustainable economic growth while maintaining community character.
Key Priorities:
• Focus commercial development along key corridors such as Highway 99. • Coordinate with the county to annex land for strategic growth. • Conduct a retail leakage study to identify missing businesses. • Identify and activate vacant downtown properties.
• Attract community-oriented developers and locally rooted businesses. • Expand recreational and economic assets such as a multipurpose sports complex.
• Recruit diverse sit-down restaurants and targeted retail, including select chain establishments where appropriate.
• Activate and revitalize business corridors.
• Finalize a Master Tax Sharing Agreement with Merced County.
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CITY MANAGER LETTER
It has been of great vantage to contribute to the development of the 2025–2028 City of Livingston Strategic Plan, a document that will serve as a roadmap for addressing the challenges and opportunities facing our community in the years ahead.
The development of this plan reflects the insights gathered through numerous community conversations, workshops, and stakeholder convenings. The final document represents the collaborative efforts of the City Council, city department heads, and community members who generously shared their perspectives, ideas, and aspirations for Livingston’s future.
Together, these contributions have helped create a strategic plan that reflects our community’s priorities and provides a clear direction for achieving meaningful and sustainable progress.
The purpose of this strategic plan is to align the City’s resources, efforts, and actions with the priorities that matter most to our community. More than a planning document, it provides a framework for decision-making, establishes clear direction, and outlines actionable strategies to guide our work over the next several years.
By focusing on shared goals and measurable outcomes, this plan will help ensure that City initiatives are responsive to community needs, fiscally responsible, and aligned with our vision for Livingston’s future.
I look forward to our continued partnership and the meaningful progress that will result from implementing this plan.
Sincerely,
Jose Antonio Ramirez
City Manager