City Council Chamber
Merced Civic Center
678 W. 18th Street
Merced, CA 95340
CITY OF MERCED
Minutes
Planning Commission
6:00 PMWednesday, May 21, 2025
A. CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson GONZALEZ called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM.
A.1. Moment of Silence
A.2. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
Commissioner DELGADILLO led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
B. ROLL CALL
Clerk's Note: Commissioners Thao and Ochoa were absent, excused.
Member Jose Delgadillo, Chair Anthony Gonzalez, Member Walter Smith, Vice Chair Jeremiah Greggains, and Member Conchita Swiggart
Present: 5 -
Member Yang Pao Thao, and Member Emanuelle OchoaAbsent: 2 - C. PUBLIC COMMENT
There were no public comments.
D. CONSENT CALENDAR
D.1 SUBJECT: Planning Commission Minutes of May 7, 2025 ACTION:
Approving and filing the Planning Commission Minutes of May 7, 2025 A motion was made by Member Delgadillo, seconded by Member Greggains and carried by the following vote, to approve the Consent Agenda.
Aye: Member Delgadillo
Chair Gonzalez
Member Smith
Vice Chair Greggains
Member Swiggart
5 -
No: 0
Absent: Member Pao Thao
Member Ochoa
2 -
May 21, 2025Planning Commission Minutes
E. PUBLIC HEARINGS
E.1. SUBJECT: Conditional Use Permit # 25-0002, initiated by Golden Valley Engineering, applicant for Tom Lawler, property owner. This application involves a request to convert an existing 7,500 square foot industrial building into a fitness center at 2250 Cessna Way. The subject site is generally located south of Cessna Way, and approximately 150 feet west of Beechcraft Avenue. The subject site has a General Plan designation of Manufacturing/ Industrial, (IND) and a zoning classification of Light Industrial (I-L). **PUBLIC HEARING** ACTION: Approve/Disapprove/Modify
1) Environmental Review #25-0010 (Categorical
Exemption)
2) Conditional Use Permit #25-0002
SUMMARY
Golden Valley Engineering is requesting conditional use permit approval to convert a 7,500 square foot, industrial building into a fitness center to be operated by Students With Aspiring Goals (SWAG). The subject site is approximately 0.48 acres and is located on the south side of Cessna Way, approximately 150 feet west of Beechcraft Avenue. Fitness Center uses are considered a conditional use within a Light Industrial (I-L) Zone. The Planning Commission will be reviewing this proposal to ensure that the site plan is designed in a manner that minimizes negative impacts to the existing site and promotes compatible and orderly development with the surrounding uses. Staff is recommending approval with conditions.
RECOMMENDATION
Planning staff has reviewed this request and recommends that the Planning Commission approve Environmental Review #25-0010 (Categorical Exemption) and Conditional Use Permit # 25-0002, including the adoption of the Draft Resolution at Attachment A subject to the conditions in Exhibit A and the findings/considerations in Exhibit B.
Assistant Planner LIVINGSTON reviewed the report on this item. For further information, refer to Staff Report #25-343.
Public Testimony was opened at 6:11 PM.
Speakers from the Audience in Favor
MARCELLO MARTINELLI, SWAG, Merced, CA
May 21, 2025Planning Commission Minutes
ERIC JAURIQUE-POUNCEY, SWAG, Merced, CA
DEVON HILLARD, SWAG, Merced, CA
There were no speakers in opposition to the project.
Public Testimony was closed at 6:21 PM.
Staff modified Condition #27 and Finding C as follows: (Note:
Strikethrough deleted language, underline added language.) "27. The Director of Development Services shall review and approve the parking demand study for this use, pursuant of Merced Municipal Code Section 20.38.050 (C) -- Low Demand. The parking reduction proposal shall be reviewed and approved during the building permit stage or prior to obtaining a business license, whichever comes first. If in the future, the applicant wishes to increase the number of occupants on site, the applicant must provide a revised parking demand study showing there is sufficient parking to accommodate additional participants. The Director of Development Services reserves the right to reconsider and potentially revoke the permit if deemed necessary if parking becomes and issue at this site."
"C. The proposed site plan shows 9 available parking spaces. Typically, for indoor recreation uses, the Merced Municipal Code requires 1 parking space per 300 square feet of building space. The site existing building is 7,500 square feet, so typically 25 parking spaces would be required. This specific use differs from other indoor recreation uses in the fact that customers will be visiting on a by appointment basis, and the max amount of people on site at any time would be 12.
However, the proposed use is by appointment only and would not have more than 12 individuals. The applicant previously had a facility in Merced at 1405 W. Main Street, and currently has a facility at 761 Enterprise Court, Atwater. There would be three trainers working at the facility during the largest shift. The program participants are primarily between 4th grade and 10th grade, with approximately 66% of the students being dropped-off.
Based on the percentage of students being dropped -off (66%) and the maximum number of trainers (3) working the largest shift, staff believes that the parking required should be 7 spaces. Thus, the proposed 9 parking spaces should adequately serve this site.
To verify this information, the applicant shall be required to provide a parking demand study, pursuant of Merced Municipal Code Section
20.38.050 (C) --Low Demand. The parking demand study would need to
May 21, 2025Planning Commission Minutes
be reviewed and approved by the Director of Development Services during the building permit stage or prior to obtaining a business license application, whichever comes first (see Condition #27).
The applicants also noted that the site will be vacant at certain times if no appointments have been scheduled. Given the difference in this proposed use and a typical indoor recreation facility, the City of Merced planning department has concluded that the provided parking is adequate.
Condition #27 of Exhibit A of Planning Commission Resolution #4156 grants the Director of Development Services the ability to review or revoke this permit if parking becomes an issue."
A motion was made by Vice Chair Greggains, seconded by Member Swiggart and carried by the following vote, to adopt a Categorical Exemption regarding Environmental Review #25-0010, and approve Conditional Use Permit #25-0002, subject to the Findings and twenty-seven (27) Conditions as set forth in Staff Report #25-343, with Finding C and Condition #27 amended as shown above (RESOLUTION #4156).
Aye: Member Delgadillo
Chair Gonzalez
Member Smith
Vice Chair Greggains
Member Swiggart
5 -
No: 0
Absent: Member Pao Thao
Member Ochoa
2 -
F. ACTION ITEMS
F.1 SUBJECT: Annual Review of the Five -Year (2025-2030) Capital Improvement Program (CIP), Determination of Whether the Individual Projects are Consistent with the General Plan Maps, Policies, and Principles and Recommendation to the City Council Regarding the Consistency with the Merced Vision 2030 General Plan
ACTION Adopt a finding that the CIP is consistent with the General Plan
SUMMARY
A function of the Planning Commission is the annual review of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The CIP is a list of the physical improvements the City plans on funding and constructing over the next five years. The Planning Commission’s role is to determine whether the individual projects are consistent with the General Plan maps, policies, and principles. The Draft Project List for the 2025-2026 Capital Improvement Program document is provided at Attachment A with the entire 2025
May 21, 2025Planning Commission Minutes
-2030 CIP provided at Attachment B. Please note that the budget numbers are still being finalized so they are subject to change prior to City Council consideration.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend to the City Council that the Draft Five- Year Capital Improvement Program is consistent with the “Merced Vision 2030 General Plan” and related master plans.
Senior Engineer MADDOX reviewed the report on this item. For further information, refer to Staff Report #25-366.
A motion was made by Vice Chair Greggains, seconded by Member Delgadillo and carried by the following vote, to adopt a Finding that the Fiscal Year 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Program is consistent with the General Plan.
Aye: Member Delgadillo
Chair Gonzalez
Member Smith
Vice Chair Greggains
Member Swiggart
5 -
No: 0
Absent: Member Pao Thao
Member Ochoa
2 -
G. INFORMATION ITEMS
G.1 SUBJECT: Report by Acting Planning Manager of Upcoming Agenda Items
ACTION
Information only.
Acting Planning Manager LAN went over the items for the next several Planning Commission meetings.
G.2 SUBJECT: Calendar of Meetings/Events
May 19 City Council, 6:00 p.m.
21 Planning Commission, 6:00 p.m.
Jun. 2 City Council, 6:00 p.m.
4 Planning Commission, 6:00 p.m.
16 City Council, 6:00 p.m.
18 Planning Commission, 6:00 p.m.
24 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, 4:00 p.m.
May 21, 2025Planning Commission Minutes
Jul. 7 City Council, 6:00 p.m.
9 Planning Commission, 6:00 p.m.
21 City Council, 6:00 p.m.
23 Planning Commission, 6:00 p.m.
H. ADJOURNMENT
Clerk's Note: The Regular Meeting adjourned at 6:31 PM.
A motion was made by Vice Chair Greggains, seconded by Member Swiggart and carried by the following vote, to adjourn the Regular Meeting.
Aye: Member Delgadillo
Chair Gonzalez
Member Smith
Vice Chair Greggains
Member Swiggart
5 -
No: 0
Absent: Member Pao Thao
Member Ochoa
2 -