The f
ollowing comments summarize feedback received from all workshops, study sessions, neighborhood meetings, go- to-them-events, stakeholder interviews, and one-on-one meetings.
CITYWIDE COMMENTS
• The City has a homeless issue that needs to be addressed. • Stockton has a potentially strong labor market that should be utilized more. • There is interest in development outside our existing boundaries (like north of Eight Mile), but political issues would hinder that. Making changes beyond Eight Mile Rd., need popular vote and support by Sierra Club; therefore, growth will be to the south or east
• What the City says and City does are different, and historically, there has been a lack of follow-through on some items.
• There’s no vision or focus from the City in implementing certain tasks. • High crime in certain areas is a problem.
• Need more diversity and outside big developers to help Stockton develop. • Existing Colleges have been a large stabilizing factor for the City. • The City is 5-10 years away from seeing problems with utility and sewer capacity with infill development. • Improve the port, and make it more active.
• Needed to get some activity on Wilson Way.
ZONING RELATED COMMENTS
General and Process Comments
• Parcels are smaller (“less than an acre”). Standards need to reflect this and expedite lot mergers and lot line adjustments to expedite a project that needs them to maximize buildout. • Promote adaptive reuse; provide incentives.
• The code and City should encourage more schools Downtown. The City should talk to stakeholders and encourage more dialogue for this to occur.
• The City should consider improving property sold or providing incentives for their development. City property sold in the past was hard to develop and had many issues given to the new owner. • Mom-and-pop businesses are required to do a site plan, but they are only changing tenancy; requirement; need some education and more clarity; Counter staff not always helpful • Becoming more complex, time-consuming, lack of employees (not just Stockton). • Zoning impaired the ability to sell property because retail sales were limited to 10% (light industrial zoning) so did a zone text amendment.
• Need the flexibility to allow retail/malls to convert. • Be more flexible about uses (education, health care/medical), not just office (corner by definition should be retail)
• Schools improve the vibrancy and clean up areas.
• Weber Ave. should be rezoned for CD to allow more residential. • By right use approval is great, better than other cities. • Need to have more reasonable and flexible use standards. • The city should be more flexible to allow a broader range of uses. • Use requirements should have more flexibility to change over time. • Need better coordination with outside review groups like Sierra Club, County and state agencies. Projects are becoming too complex and time-consuming.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
• Site p
lan review can sometimes be easy and sometimes difficult. More clarity to make it easy the more normal. • Better feedback is needed from residential and elected officials at the General Plan update phase, not at the project phase, which causes an issue when developing a project. • Design review is generally a fine process and should not see too many issues with the process. More information could be provided upfront during the pre-application phase to help provide clarity and shorten review times. • Not big impediments to growth, but the variance threshold is too high. • Would like ombudsman point person. The City Council is going to implement a case management program for the ombudsman role to Sheppard the process.
• Would like someone from economic development to help ensure these projects happen. • Projects get handed off, and different inspectors with different feedback. • The city needs to balance life/safety review with flexibility in permitting. • Departments can be siloed and lead to confusion.
• Pre-application meetings (i.e., ERC) roundtable meetings are helpful and should be maintained. • Increase coordination between economic and community development for construction and funding. • The Cultural Heritage Board has reviewed/approved several projects and wants to save every building (e.g., Downtown SROs). Not helpful and can delay the process as requirements are too stringent. • Regulations are fine, but administrative processing can become problematic. • No issues with specific development standards and land availability; the issue is bureaucracy. • The design committee could use more/new architects.
• Some applicants know what the City and DR committee want, while other struggle. • The Design Review process is time-consuming.
• We’ll do what the City wants for project changes, but it can take 2-3 rounds of submittals. • Mom and Pop reviews give up quickly; takes too long to go through Site Plan Review (6-8 months for first round of comments), even if there are no proposed changes to the site or building (i.e., only use changes) • Better now than it used to be 4 years ago, but still not clear what that process is for development and licensing. • Sometimes, a business can’t get a business license, but it is already leased. • People feel like the City is against them, but City is trying to be safe. • The city should understand lease terms and know what the tenant is responsible for. Maybe easier business license and use permit access to information.
• The city does not have a sense of urgency regarding how important time is for a developer. • Some feel the requirement for a community meeting (outside City Hall) is unnecessary as no one shows up. • If a developer really wants to do something, then the Planning Commission hearing/use permit is fine, but if it’s a marginal profit return, then they will drop it to avoid the added procedural requirements. • Appreciate that multifamily is now permitted by right and only site plan review, no public hearings • Planning Commission review can be a dealbreaker; takes time, the potential for CEQA/discretionary, the potential for added cost, and uncertainty.
• The design review process has been helpful and gives industrial developers an understanding of what to expect. • Other areas have stricter standards and are more expensive, but the process was clear and the turnaround time was fast.
• Have had some issues with submitting plans that meet City standards but can’t be built that way; would like inspectors to be involved in standards and review.
• Planning staff can be too “by-the-book” and needs to encourage more flexibility. • The Community Development (CD) Director has discretion and can help support retail/economic development. • Stockton is not a bad place to do business; a lot has to do with the people; the current staff are good, user friendly.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
• Buil
d our team around consensus with the City Manager, Economic Development, and Planning; other departments on the sidelines upfront; we assume that things are synchronized, but there’s still too much silo, not coordinated across departments.
• Public Works staff are not aligned between City standards for off-site improvements on plan vs. an inspection. • Public Works standards, as written, are acceptable.
• Fire inspectors shut down framing on the construction site due to the lack of paved roads. The city should consider flexibility.
• If departments are coordinated, the review process is okay. • Staff and process used to be easier; there was a roadmap, and they stuck to it with a common goal where staff would work with you as a team. Now, there’s more attitude, adversarial; it’s by the book, and then they change their minds.
• Mitigations/conditions applied relate to traffic, air quality, and noise; AQ and noise will change with alternative fuels and new fleets (no diesel, carbon neutral/negative). • Traffic analysis by employee and truck traffic; warehouses are employing more people; getting penalized for having job growth.
• Shift transportation from personal to service.
• Lots of new gas stations, but not EV charging.
• Title 24 standards for energy efficiency/solar requirements are burdensome/expensive; under new code requires an offset of 30% at the opening, then scales up to 100%, $900k from solar panels; but, tenants are responsible for PG&E bill; no benefit to the developer. • Regulations are why rents and costs go up in the state. • Trash enclosures and landscaping requirements go beyond the requirements of what is needed. Just need more flexibility for setbacks and landscaping.
• Typically wants to do façade remodel, but owners don’t want to trigger landscaping and site improvements (e.g., 10-foot-wide planter) or meet parking ratio.
• Would like to see City compel property owners to irrigate or create a district to do beautification and try drought-resistant landscaping.
• Needs to be flexible for standards, including height, loading, parking, setbacks (e.g., allow some encroachments) • Low rent per square foot, so don’t make expensive requirements for design standards. • No certainty about neighbors’ involvement regarding environmental issues, aesthetics, etc. • Need to check with trusted architects about design standards that are realistic and quality. • Difficult to objectively describe what looks good in general, but Stockton, in particular. Terrified to think of window trim standards that would be on the books for years. • Be careful to require the application of minor elements to dress up an ugly box (“lipstick on pig”). • Prefer fewer written requirements.
• City asking for beautification process as part of site plan review: landscaping/trees/irrigation in parking lots.
Problematic from the landlord/property owner standpoint. • Triggers for site improvements don’t make sense and are unrelated to the property owners income stream and ability to make improvements.
• Trash enclosure requirement not identified in the code didn’t make sense for change of use. • Need flexibility for exceptions and modifications.
• Tell us what we can do, not what we can’t do.
• Need different standards for rehab projects vs. new construction. • MX zone had more flexibility which is helpful.
• Have not heard any issues with standards; not too familiar, but seems consistent with other jurisdictions.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
• The city wa
nts to get more density, then needs to create smaller lot developments that are more feasible; doesn’t want to build private streets, which triggers PUD. • Likewise, looked into 4- and 6-packs but also triggers PUD, but others may build it • Some developers do not use design guidelines and rely on their architect. • Staff playing catch-up on master planning, especially implementation of older ones. • Infrastructure is not in place in the places where the General Plan identifies growth. This means the private side must pay for it and invest in the City.
• Along the 5 freeway, there are pockets that could be good for industry but are not because of existing neighborhoods that are already there.
Fees and Technology Comments
• Fees need to be updated to reflect infrastructure needs in different parts of town (don’t need to burden built out north with new needs in the south).
• Paying into the fee, but infrastructure doesn’t get built by the City for many years. • Other cities are exploring special impact fees to generate more revenue/taxes from warehousing. • Tracy’s fees are much higher, but the tenants like being there (higher rent, don’t have labor); Stockton cannot charge as much as Tracy does.
• Façade grant program is excellent but small.
• Fee reimbursement program, but only rebated after construction (too late! need help in the beginning) • Fees are tremendous, supporting bond payments for previous improvements. • $40 million residential project: $4-5 million upfront fees—double the fees of Manteca and similar communities with higher rents.
• Stockton Economic Stimulation Program (SESP): 50% Stockton labor force then get 50% reduction in permit fees; applied and got accepted; now it’s just a checkbox.
• The city’s solution for raising funds was to raise fees, but $63,000 per door for Stockton; very high for Central Valley; it’s $200,000 to build an apartment unit in Stockton. • Mitigations/conditions applied relate to traffic, air quality, and noise; AQ and noise will change with alternative fuels and new fleets (no diesel, carbon neutral/negative). • Traffic analysis by employee and truck traffic; warehouses are employing more people; getting penalized for having job growth.
• Shift transportation from personal to service.
• Lots of new gas stations, but not EV charging.
• Title 24 standards for energy efficiency/solar requirements are burdensome/expensive; under new code requires an offset of 30% at the opening, then scales up to 100%, $900k from solar panels; but tenants are responsible for PG&E bill; no benefit to the developer. • Regulations are why rents and costs go up in the state.
Residential Standards
• Comments incorporated into the “Housing” section below.
Commercial Standards
• There is plenty of existing or potential office space, but the market is not as strong for this use. The code could reflect better use or reuse of these areas. Consider residential uses in these areas. • Like office space, we have too much commercial retail space, and many shops online. Consider ways to reuse these areas as consumers shift from service retail to lifestyle retail, where they can linger and meet others. • Retailers are occupying office locations since leasing can be less expensive than retail leasing.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
• Seco
ndhand stores can be considered stigmatized for use requiring a use permit and a public hearing. • Ideally prefer sites zoned commercial and permitted uses within that zone important. • The City has had inconsistent policies and standards on where and how automotive use is permitted. For sales and maintenance.
• When the code is too vague, an applicant may have to pay more for a real estate attorney to make sense of things.
• It is hard to get retailers to come back if they’ve had a bad experience in a place. First impressions can be important when attracting a retailer to the City.
• Everything cycles: Stockton is most active in the residential market, but stigma because of bankruptcy/City over- extended could impact other from developing here.
• Consider repurposing malls to include high-density residential and other uses that could strengthen the lifestyle retail features. Not getting enough foot traffic in these areas. • Consider increasing flexibility in industrial zones for uses that support surrounding industrial facilities. The applicant was not allowed to have a physical therapist in light industry, but a gym was allowed because it was deemed a training facility. Should be allowed to do a small sandwich shop or café as incidental to light industrial without subsequent use permit approvals.
Industrial Standards
• Industrial seems to be moving from Downtown to the airport, which isn’t necessarily bad. • Central Valley is well-positioned for distribution and the good movement sector but there are issues and people concerned about traffic and air quality from diesel trucks. • Look for industrial zones and recent growth and talk to the broker community about what works and doesn’t work in different parts of town.
• The City of Ontario has the best zoning and land use setup for industrial/warehouses. • 42 feet clearance on the inside of the building, plus a few feet for slab and 3 feet for truss, plus parapet (need 60 feet); would only need 4-level mezzanine buildings (see Sacramento airport example) for Amazon (72 feet) • Industrial areas and the Port are needed for economic development. Standards should reflect this. • The city is well suited for logistics: airport, deep water channel, freight, truck lines; there’s not enough industrial land in Stockton to fit demand.
• Industrial: preferred allowed by right.
• Add development and environmental regulations consistent with previously approved projects. These should be objective standards based on recent settlement agreements.
Parking Standards
• Need flexibility in parking standards to accommodate market demands. • Conversion from a shoe store to a takeout restaurant was a parking problem per the code; Director had to waive it, so City should look to add flexibility.
• Expensive for Downtown property owners to pay into the Downtown parking district. • District functional until City built arena garage; doesn’t serve anything but arena (another side of town), but they spent all of the money on it.
• Pre-covid, parking was full.
• Parking assessment is overly complex based on location, distance from the garage, and square footage. • Can’t always fully park onsite, so idea of a parking district makes sense. • Requirement to remove the fencing from the sidewalk and green the fencing and parking is problematic in urban areas. Code needs to be flexible in situations as any landscaping requirement downtown will be problematic.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
• The p
arking standard is not high enough for garden residential. • Need to be more permissive to allow on-street parking for mom-and-pop restaurants or event spaces, especially for existing sites being reused.
• Separate parking requirements for ground-up construction. • Code doesn’t distinguish between new construction vs. rehab or change of use. • Parking requirements are rigid but accept that they are necessary.
Channel Area Comments
• Expand by-right uses.
• Maintain maritime use for north/south shore properties. • Flexibility on the west shore of the Channel Area.
• Allow the market to dictate uses within certain areas. • Is AB617 electrification being taken into account?
• General support for hybrid zoning; however, concerns that it will push industrial uses out. • Potential support for more housing in the channel, but for areas west of I5, locate new housing away from the water so as not to about the industrial uses on the other side of the channel. • What’s happening with the Southpoint project?
• If the Federal government was the original polluter, would it clean it up? • No cannabis or liquor stores allowed.
• Promenade is a concern for businesses that use the waterfront as part of their core business. • Erosion will make the promenade harder to pull off. Could the City use rocks to prevent erosion and add land docks on the promenade
Downtown Comments
• CD Zoning Downtown is very flexible which helps.
• Explore expanding PBID to the waterfront and developing mixed-use on the north shore of the Channel Area. • Talk with the Downtown Stockton Alliance. The project team may hold a pop-up at the Farmer’s Market below the freeway.
• There are several abandoned buildings downtown. It is frustrating to see empty buildings that could be used for housing since the City has an unhoused population that needs housing. • The City should consider revising downtown standards to clarify what needs to be developed. Open Window Project had similar issues until a plan was created.
• Bring in businesses that will make people want to go downtown. • The boulders along Miner Street are causing issues for the Grandview Village project; a car crashed into the building. The City placed a trash can in front of the building, overflowing with trash. Visionary Home Builders will bring in a grocery store with a gym on the first floor of the building. • Potential sites the City could consider for housing development in downtown and the Cabral/East Cabral Station Area include the redevelopment of old properties such as the Hotel Terry, old Henery hotel, the Kendall building, and the Hotel St. Leo. The building at 34 South California Street could also be an option. The Elks and Cort Tower buildings could be a good option for housing. The buildings at 526 East Main Street or 634 East Main Street could be another option. The building at 201 North California Street is another potential site. • There should be an ordinance that requires landowners to develop a site downtown within a few years. • The following properties have lien issues but are abandoned and could be redeveloped: 119 and 121 East Lindsay Street and 118 East Fremont. They used to be apartments but have a lot of damage inside. The City has a lien forgiveness program, where many fees and fines can be forgiven after successful redevelopment occurs.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
• Infrast
ructure can be a barrier to building housing downtown. Depending on the inspector, they may require something different in terms of utility upgrades. There are some contamination concerns on the east side of Cabral. Phase I and II’s assessments might be needed for new housing development in this area. • The streetlights downtown do not work.
Magnolia and Design District Comments
• Need to balance historic preservation with ensuring high-quality residential and non-residential uses.
Miracle Mile Comments
• Beautification of existing buildings is needed. This includes reinvestment and City money to help with buildings and facades.
• Support for rezoning to Commercial Neighborhood (CN) as long as it protects existing uses, and the overlay grants additional flexibility.
• Need UOP support and feedback for future partnerships. • More standards that support live work.
• Create a sense of place by adding outdoor assembly space for events. Both private and public spaces. • Do not want existing uses to become nonconforming with zoning changes. • The City needs to maintain its parking areas better.
• Need enhanced landscaping and lighting standards for security. • Tree wells need better maintenance as trees die.
• Standards that would allow parking structures of various designs. • Will the flow of Pacific Avenue change, or can there be a design change to slow car speed? • Need for more parking in the area and standards requiring existing parking to be brought up to code or improved at a minimum.
• Mixed use is good and encouraged.
• No adult-oriented uses, liquor stores, cigarette stores, and pawn shops. • Pacific has a lot of roadway issues; trucks will make this worse.
HOUSING
General Comments
• Existing buildings have problems with windows and egress. • Need to maintain and improve the code to allow mixed-use and downtown residential more viable. • Having to meet all residential and all commercial development codes is expensive. • People who moved into live-work lofts were living but not working there. • Residential is by-right in CD zone, which helps.
• If Stockton wants more housing, it needs to create business and make it easier to develop 3-story garden apartments with stairs and no elevator. can’t do 4 stories with elevators or podiums and justified by the rents.
Three stories usually hit around 24 units/acre.
• The city didn’t want apartments previously but has changed its tune and now supports them. • Notice more than just property owners directly impacted by the efforts. • Consider inclusionary housing policies for the City.
• Concern about equity and housing justice; protect against gentrification. • Consider inclusionary housing and a community land trust.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
• 60-80 u
nits per acre is the minimum number of units some need for a new affordable housing project. Mutual Housing is working on a project that is about 120 units per acre, but this project could be up to 200 units per acre.
• Infrastructure and environment can be a big issue in infill sites. • What happens if the City does not hit its RHNA numbers? • Explore the affordable gap in private project development. • Explore or encourage the use of Master Development Plans. • Does the City give bonds to help out with construction costs? • How is the Housing Action Plan (HAP) useful if it is not legally binding? • Include more CEQA streamlining recommendations and allowances. • City doesn’t do anything to help low-income communities on the edges/fringes. • Are there sub-categories within lower income?
• Some sites identified have constraints, so they haven’t been developed yet. For example, title issues, infrastructure issues, and environmental constraints.
• The City process of working with applicants and saying yes to projects has improved, but more work is needed.
The City could be more proactive than reactive in helping projects progress. • Need exemptions for offsite infrastructure improvements for affordable housing - cost kills projects. • City must find funding for outdated offsite infrastructure (streetlights/sidewalks). • EIFDs to attract developers.
• Nonprofit projects shouldn’t be treated like for-profit development. • Infill costs of deferred maintenance put off onto affordable projects makes them no longer affordable. • The City should maintain impact fee waivers for affordable projects. • Priority sites should follow the dollars/funding sources, be transparent with funding sources, and encourage flexibility with sites.
• Further streamlining of the permit process.
• Pre-designed plans or approvals would help, especially with infill/scattered site development. • Need the ability for waivers on oddly shaped parcels. • Funders avoid items that trigger prevailing wages.
• Interested in Adaptive Reuse of buildings downtown and any potential waivers/incentives in the Development Code that could help them attract developers.
• Parking reductions don't help them, as tenants are not located near quality transit want to park. • Stockton lacks quality transit as compared to Sacramento, and maybe when we get there, less parking outside the downtown will help, but not now.
• The area needs a better bike/ped system.
• SESP has made projects pencil out. With rising interest rates, without SESP, they would stop building in Stockton due to financial constraints.
• RSSC is forming a Housing Justice coalition creating separate entity. Will the City be a part of that effort.
NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS
General Comments
• Do not concentrate on affordable housing in one place. • People need help beyond housing, including education and jobs. Some people do not want government assistance or housing support.
• Improve homelessness and safety in all three Study Areas. • Landlords are pushing people out of their homes. Address emergency housing situations in the plans. Police are also clearing encampments and belongings.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
• Allo
w an environment that is conducive to promoting/improving properties; improve customer service at the Planning counter.
• People drive fast on Pock Lane, there is a need for speed bumps. • There is a need for police patrol at the farmer’s market. • Re-stripe streets where needed. There are inoperable cars on the street that need to be removed. • Improve and maintain parks throughout the City, especially the basketball courts. Most parks are safe during the day but feel unsafe at night.
• There is a need for remodeling and renovation of old dilapidated businesses. Perhaps more City money or grants could help with this.
• Addressing safety concerns should be the main focus.
• There is a need for duplex/triplex/fourplex units in these neighborhoods. Could be rentals or ownership units, but they need to be attainable. It would be nice to have a program to help people purchase these units. • Provide resources and housing opportunities for the homeless. • Reach out to the community and ask them what they would like to see in their neighborhood. The Dorothy Jones Community Center could be a venue option for an open house in South Airport Way. Talk with the churches in these areas to spread the word about the open house. Lueathel from the African American Chamber of Commerce San Joaquin is part of the Ministerial Alliance that meets at a church near South Airport Way. They can help spread the word about the open house. Work closely with Assembly Bill 617. • Community ambassadors can help address safety concerns in these neighborhoods, especially in South Airport Way.
• The wages for jobs in Stockton must equal the cost of living. People that live here commute outside of Stockton for work. There are not a lot of high-paying jobs in San Joaquin County. • People cannot afford to buy homes because they are getting priced out by bay area investors. • There are multiple generations living in the same home in Stockton. The COVID-19 pandemic increased this issue.
• Take into consideration parking when planning new housing in these areas. • There is a need for affordable housing in Stockton, especially in North Stockton. Prioritize higher-density multifamily housing that is affordable and near transit. • There are no benches at many bus stops.
• Support the placement of new housing in walkable areas near grocery stores. Help ensure single-family homes are being purchased by individuals and families instead of organizations. • Are there plans to form a committee as part of the Neighborhood Action Plan effort? • Reach out to the community to ask them about their housing needs. Hold pop-ups at an existing event or maybe at a park. Attend resource fairs. Use Stockonia.org to advertise events. Go to churches and have a booth (St.
George's is the main church). Utilize Council Members to spread the word. • Barriers to housing include community opposition and drug abuse. There is also not enough space to build housing.
• People cannot afford homes because they are getting priced out. • There are vacant industrial buildings that are underutilized. • High development impact fees can be a barrier to housing development, one of our developers was charged a significant amount of school fees.
• Timing is important for developers; they lose money each month their project is delayed. Treat developers as customers.
• Support adaptive reuse of buildings like the Anaheim Packing building. • There is a need for hotels, especially in downtown Stockton.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
• Hatc
h workshop could benefit from some type of support.
• Build relationships with hotels and support the conversion of hotels to homes. • Recommends the City create a homeownership training course that is available for the public. Do workshops in the encampments to boost the morale of the people living there. • Support mixed-use housing development in these neighborhoods. There is a need for housing with wrap-around services, including a pharmacy, health services, and food. Also recommends live/work units. • There is land that is underutilized and could be used for housing, but the owners do not want to do anything with the land.
• Housing needs to be accessible for the elderly and people with disabilities. • There are people that commute to Amazon but do not live in Stockton. Consider how we can provide housing and activities for young people to entice them to live in the City. Young people need a place to live with parking.
Provide nice walking trails or tracks where people can walk and play games. • Some neighborhoods have a liquor store instead of a grocery store. • Encourage the San Joaquin Regional Transit District bus to run more often. • Infrastructure can be a barrier to housing development in all three neighborhoods, especially sewer and water upgrades. Funding for infrastructure upgrades can also be an issue. Some grants kick in prevailing wages which increases the cost to build new housing.
• Building affordable housing tends to pencil out more than market-rate housing in Stockton because of the funding opportunities.
• Look into the GreenMeansGo program from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments as a potential funding source.
• Environmental cleanup can also be a constraint.
• It could be costly to upgrade the telecom boxes, but this does not come up often when developing housing. • It would help if the owner could give the land to an affordable housing developer and/or not charge the holding cost.
• Enterprise is working on a displacement assessment for the City. Maybe some of the actions can tie into the action plans.
• There is a need for quality education, jobs, and housing in all study areas. • Safety and drug use is a concern.
• Hold a training session for the board members and youth before starting the project's engagement efforts.
Maybe hold a charette style workshop. Provide a one to two-month notice before scheduling an outreach event or training.
• Look into the Reconnecting Communities Pilot program. The National Parks Service has a History of Equal Rights grant opportunity.
• Consider the Hatch Workshop as a venue for outreach.
• The City does not have the funding needed for new affordable housing development. There is typically a need for local money to build affordable housing. Fee waivers or free land helps affordable housing developers. Also, the monthly rates housing developers can charge in San Joaquin County is much lower compared to other Counties. There is a need for project-based vouchers to get rental assistance for affordable projects. • The more concessions and incentives the City can provide for affordable housing projects the better. Parking can be an issue, requiring less parking in areas that are near public transit. • The City has opportunities to tap into State funds that could help pencil out affordable housing projects.
Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) grants are one example.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
• Less
ening the permit review time can help since affordable housing developers cannot apply for grants until the entitlement process is finished. It can be burdensome for affordable housing development. Also, having one point of contact throughout the development review process is helpful instead of having multiple contacts. • Basic amenities nearby are needed for new affordable housing development, including schools, transit, and grocery stores. New affordable housing near high quality transit opens up additional funding sources from the State, such as the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities grant. • To qualify for a large family affordable housing project, a developer needs a minimum of 25 percent two- bedroom and 25 percent three-bedroom units.
• For a senior or supportive housing project, a developer might need a one-acre site. 2.5 to 3 acres could be needed for a family affordable housing project.
• Job training, workforce development and education would help the unhoused population. Encourage small business opportunities.
• The roads are unsafe for pedestrians and bicyclists, people drive fast on the roads in these neighborhoods. Make sure the bikeways are connected.
• Reinvent South Stockton Coalition is working with the Community Foundation to create a Stockton housing innovation fund that would be Citywide. It would be a private housing trust fund. • Low-income apartments are needed in these neighborhoods. Visionary Homebuilders is a good partner, they build great properties. Maintenance of apartments is also important. • The three study areas were hard to reach and hard to count for the census. An aging group of seniors and youth may not have services or amenities in these areas. Everyone is trying to figure out how to address issues in these neighborhoods.
• The lack of broadband and internet access is also an issue. There is no broadband in Little Manila/Gleason Park.
Communication is very important; look into how to increase access in these neighborhoods. • Transportation is an issue in these areas. The elderly need support to get to and from the doctor’s office. • Educational attainment is a concern in these neighborhoods. • Health disparities exist in these neighborhoods. A lot of people do not want to live on the freeway because of air pollution.
• The parks are not safe in these neighborhoods.
• There is a lot of veterans in these neighborhoods and registered sex offenders. There is a need for mental health services.
• To reach these communities, recommend sending out people that can be trusted by each community group should knock on doors. The San Joaquin County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce had success during the Census gathering because of this effort. They also handed out information through paychecks. The utility bill is also a good place to insert information.
• We need homes with four to five bedrooms because multiple families could live in the same home. • Better wi-fi is needed in new apartments. Work with the creator of Pac West to increase internet access in these neighborhoods.
• All three areas are uniquely different, but they have the same need for affordable and market-rate housing that can bring some new life to it. There is a need for missing middle housing. • If there are environmental issues at any site, reach out to the State to see what can be done in terms of funding to clean up the site.
• San Joaquin Partnership is working with the County Office of Education, University of Pacific, Worknet and Delta College on a program for the next generation of workers. Look at the Volt Institute in Modesto. Focus on text generation programs that include mechanics, artificial intelligence, and robotics. • Set up a working group or some type of meeting with housing developers.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
• Supp
ort for infill development with wrap-around services.
• There is a need for housing for families, such as duplexes, triplexes, apartments with two or more bedrooms. • Cost of materials and labor is a barrier to housing development. The cost has gone down recently, but it is still expensive.
• There are absentee owners that change the dynamic of the neighborhood. • Transportation can be an issue since some households in the area might only have one car per family. • Educate landowners and homeowners about accessory dwelling units and junior dwelling units. • Engage the landowners in the neighborhoods to ask them why they are not developing the sites. • Resident input is very important. Talk with Reinvent Stockton Coalition, Little Manila Rising, Seventh Day Adventist Church, San Joaquin Council of Governments, public health services. Attending the farmers market event STAND holds. STAND also has two trust builders that go door to door. Identify the community member that is willing to be a leader to spread the word. STAND also sends out an eblast we can include information on.
Work with the Housing Authority. Keep the messaging simple. Visuals work well. Talk with Saint Linus Church.
Loop in the police department.
• The Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) applications can be challenging. They are on a point system, and you need to show where the amenities are in proximity to the proposed housing development. • Look for vacant land where no one is living.
Cabral/East Cabral Comments
• There has been at least one walking study completed from the Cabral station to the Amtrak station. The study found it was difficult to cross the streets in some areas and there are also handicap issues. There is also an issue with lighting during the wintertime since it gets dark earlier. Some of the lights under the freeway are broken.
The homeless might be breaking the lights so people are not able to see where they are sleeping. • There are key neighborhood commercial nodes in the Cabral/East Cabral/East Cabral Station Area, including along Wilson Way, Weber, and California. Think about how the action plans will promote sustainable corridors.
This area needs more green space. Is the City working on a Downtown Station plan? Think about connectivity to the Cabral Train Station. Maybe the City can provide pedestrian friendly wayfinding from the train station.
SJCOG is working with the rail commission to install bicycle parking at the rail station. There are not a lot of activities in downtown. Maybe live/work and mixed-use housing could work here. Look at circulation and mobility. How can we improve circulation in this neighborhood? • Nonresponsive owners in the Cabral/East Cabral Station Area are an issue. There is a need for services and amenities in this area. Be mindful of building housing next to freeways. • There is a need for streetlights that work and improved sidewalks. The walk from Amtrak to the Cabral Train station does not feel safe.
• There must be a mix of market-rate and affordable housing in the Cabral/East Cabral Station Area. Build housing that provides a certain percentage of market-rate and affordable units. Find ways to incentivize market-rate housing. Maybe the City can waive certain fees. The City of Modesto has a forgiveness program the City can look into which waives certain planning and building fees for new development downtown. • There is a need for rental housing. However, in the Cabral/East Cabral Station Area, lower the number of rental units so there are also homeownership opportunities for those living in this neighborhood. • Cabral/East Cabral Station Area has been a big interest for a mixed-use development with complimentary amenities for some time.
• Make building multifamily, affordable housing near the train station easier. There are examples out there that we can look at to see how can build market-rate housing near rail. Make sure vacancy rates are low. Corridors Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
need
to be cleaned up. Larger sites are owned by a handful of entities, so getting them together can be challenging.
• Pedestrian scale lighting standards should be added for safety as well as a wayfinding program. • For smaller lots, the City should explore infill allowances for zero and/or small setbacks. • The City should explore a transit-oriented development overlay to encourage more development by allowing no height restrictions, greater densities, flexible parking standards, and prohibiting specific auto-oriented uses (drive-throughs, fueling stations, carwashes, storage, etc.).
Little Manila/Gleason Park Comments
• There is an opportunity for placemaking and orienting people to the history of the Little Manila/Gleason Park study area. Maybe some improvements can be made to signify that this area is a gateway into the City. Market this area as a place that is worthy of people visiting. Access to the train station is challenging. We need a clear access point from the train station. Orient buildings and development towards the Mormon Slough. Maybe we can add a greenway along the Mormon Slough.
• During the walking tour of Little Manila/Gleason Park, the consultant team noticed: broken, uneven sidewalks; lack of trees and shade; no crosswalk on South San Joaquin Street and East Sonora Street; cars drive fast; and there are no trash bins. A schoolteacher cleans the street where she lives because there is daily trash in the street (a nearby restaurant that opens VERY early – the primary clientele is day laborers.) • Live/work units could work well in Little Manila/Gleason Park and in the Cabral/East Cabral Station Area. Provide a space where artists can work and live.
• Gleason Park is the last major development that has occurred in the Little Manila/Gleason Park neighborhood. • Ideas for reimagining Mormon slough includes bike lanes and a community garden. • There will be a new navigation center near Little Manila/Gleason Park that will provide case management. • There is a need for champions in Little Manila/Gleason Park that will encourage neighbors to maintain their properties.
• There are corner store markets in Little Manila/Gleason Park, but they do not offer healthy food options. • The lot sizes in Little Manila/Gleason Park constrain housing development. Housing preservation could work in this area. GRID has a single-family retrofit program the project team could look into. • In the Little Manila/Gleason Park neighborhood, multiple families live in one home. There are also very few grocery stores in this neighborhood. Several agencies serve the unhoused community living in this neighborhood, people are fearful of the homeless. Talk to the police department. • Improvement ideas proposed for the Mormon Slough include a bike trail, community center or a place for the youth, park, walking trail, and affordable housing near the slough. • A potential new housing site in Little Manila/Gleason Park could include the parking lot on Sutter Street next to the community garden. It is an underutilized parking lot. Can also consider the parking lot and house at 520 South Hunter Street. Little Manila Rising is planning to build housing on the top floors of their two buildings. • Lack of curb cuts and inaccessible sidewalks is an issue in Little Manila/Gleason Park. The tree wells are also not large enough for tree planting. There are concerns about asthma in this neighborhood. Buildings in Little Manila might not be up to code.
• Little Manila Rising may become a Community Development Corporation in a few years. How often does the Mormon Slough get water? Think about why the unhoused population congregates there. Maybe the City can build tiny homes. Bakersfield received an award for its plan on river access. Promote nontraditional models of housing for the homeless.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
• The Li
ttle Manila/Gleason Park area could be developed further. Mormon Slough should be a priority, addressing the challenges occurring here. To address the small lot size issues in this study area, talk to the property owners to get buy in to adjust the lot sizes. Give people options. • Maybe live/work units could work near the Mormon slough. • The Central Valley is trying to target tech and 30 year old’s that are not ready to buy a home yet. • The San Joaquin Partnership have been receiving calls related to data centers. • The area needs pedestrian-scale lighting standards and increased coverage standards. • Traffic calming measures should be included (Bulb-outs, safe pedestrian crossings, etc.). • For smaller lots, the City should explore infill allowances for zero and/or small setbacks. • Larger tree wells to accommodate trees provide benefits beyond ornamental/aesthetic function.
South AirPort Area Comments
• There are commercial needs along the South Airport Way corridor. • A lot of families in the South Airport Way neighborhood do not have transportation. Create a lively vibrant place where people can walk.
• Acknowledge the County fairgrounds When talking with people about the South Airport Way study area. • One of the strategies is a community land trust.
• The 8th Street and South Airport Way project is a catalyst project for this neighborhood; moving this project along as much as possible is very important.
• In the South Airport Way study area, the City could help housing developers by showing the environmental issues in this area.
• Faith-based housing development could also be investigated. • Consider extending the area boundary further south to examine how the industrial plays into the residential areas. There may be climate-related funding opportunities in this area. South Airport Way also needs rapid bus transit.
• Access to fresh foods is a need for the South Airport Way neighborhood. There is also a need for thriving businesses, parks, outdoor open spaces, and grocery stores in this neighborhood. There is a safety concern in this area.
• Put beds or tiny homes on the old racetrack for the homeless. • Think about what can be developed in the South Airport Way study area. There is a need for commercials as there is a food desert. Need to have access to grocery stores and other amenities. • Reinvent South Stockton Coalition is looking at a low-income homeowner rehab program that could be for Fairview Terrace or Citywide.
• There is a plan for bikeways along South Airport Way. There is an opportunity for transit-oriented development near the bus transit stop. Provide transportation opportunities to the job center area to the south. There are challenges for people to get to the job center after hours. Consider where there are opportunities to put housing and other amenities along the South Airport Way corridor. • South Airport Way is a very busy street. The streets are not conducive or safe for walking. The levee could be a nice place where people can walk, but there are homeless people in this area and some people feel unsafe.
From Carpenter Street to Fair Street there are at least six schools. Promote safe routes to schools along this route. Build a walking path from the Sierra Vista affordable housing development to the Dorothy Jones Community Center. Have a participatory list where people can rotate and walk kids to school. • Lots along South Airport Way might have environmental contamination issues which is a barrier to development since it is expensive to clean up the site. For example, the site located at the southeast corner of Ophir Street and 8th Street has environmental issues. The lot adjacent to Rancho San Miguel is also contaminated.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary
• South
Airport way needs more multifamily housing and commercial development to support housing. • South Airport Way has the highest rates of asthma, lowest education rates. There is also a concern about crime and safety. Trees are needed in this neighborhood. South Airport way is a food desert. The corridor also needs more streetlights.
• The South Airport Area study area is pretty built in from a residential perspective. Look down Mariposa Road. • Look at the internet cable and where the water connection is located. Cable was very expensive to bring out there.
• Expand the boundary to Charter Way and encourage a grocery store or shopping center. There are also other dilapidated areas in the City to consider. The area around Ponce is worse than Sierra Vista. • The City should explore minimum heights and/or stories to require larger nonresidential uses along Airport. • Encourage the creation and use of more private and public owed spaces. • Increase the amount of street trees/landscaping along Airport and side streets. • Enhanced paving materials along Airport and side streets. • Specific options for benches/trash receptacles/lighting/etc. • Pedestrian-scale lighting standards.
SAFETY ELEMENT UDPATES
• Climate c
hange is an issue and adaption, and resiliency must be addressed in City standards. • Service and evacuation routes should be updated to reflect environmental and climate change impacts.
Attachment A - Shape Stockton Feedback Summary