City Council and Concurrent Authorities
June 3, 2025

ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE STOCKTON MUNICIPAL CODE TO REFLECT CHANGES TO STATE LAW & ACCOMMODATE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CONSISTENT WITH THE 2040 STOCKTON GENERAL PLANStockton City Council MeetingAgenda Item 16.1June 3, 2025 2025 Development Code Update•State Grants•General Plan Housing Element Update•Citywide Housing Action Plan•Development Code Update•Development Code Update•Outreach Included in Shape Stockton Efforts•Planning Commission Study Sessions•Public Workshops 2025 Development Code Update•Housing Related Amendments•Reflect changes in State law•Accommodate housing consistent with City plans•Support housing development•Technical Updates and Revisions•Consistency with the General Plan•Improve organization and usability•Simplify and standardize language, remove redundancies, clarify applicability, remove obsolete provisions Division 1: Purpose and Applicabilityof the Development Code•Establishes the overall purpose of the Code and its applicability•Technical edits•Reorganization•Simplify and standardize language•Revised rules for rounding of numbers•Reflect State law related to calculating density Division 2: Zoning Districts, Allowable Land Uses, & Zone-Specific Standards•Specify land use and development standards for each base zoning district•Refined district purpose statements, consistent with the General Plan•Current land use allowances (Table 2-2) and permit requirements refined consistent with the General Plan, State and Federal law, and to reflect common practice•Use Regulations and District Development Standards Updated•Clarification is made that either gross or net calculation can be used for determining allowable and required density•New requirements for residential open space in multi-unit development Division 3: Site Planning &General Development Regulations•Site development standards, use standards, and other requirements applicable in some or all districts•General Development and Use Standards•Affordable Housing Incentives/Density Bonus Provisions•Objective Building design standards •Standards for Specific Uses•Consistency Amendments •Infill Development Standards•Parking Requirements by Land Use Division 5: Land Use/Development Procedures•Administrative Exceptions•Increase maximum allowable adjustments Director may grant to certain development standards•Reflective of commonly requested and approved Waivers•Waivers•Corresponding consistency amendment (PC may consider Waivers of up to 50%) Division 6: Subdivision Regulations•Condominium Conversions•Relocate applicable development standards section•Urban Lot Splits•New chapter providing procedures and standards for urban lot splits consistent with State law•State law allows lots in the RL (Residential, Low Density) district to be split into two parcels Division 7: Development Code Administration•Requests for Reasonable Accommodation•Refined for clarity, usability, and consistency with State and federal laws•Historic Resource Demolition or Relocation Permit•Additional detail regarding the review process and responsibilities of Director, Cultural Heritage Board (CHB), and Planning Commission•New provisions codify:•Requirement for historical or cultural resource study for any demolition of commercial structures (aged 50+ years)•Public noticing for findings of no historic significance•Procedures for CHB review, including public noticing Division 8: Glossary•Separate definitions of Land Usesregulated by the Code from General Terms (i.e. definitions)•Use Classifications•Consolidate and update land use definitions•Reflect contemporary land uses and standard terminology•Organized based on common function, product, and physical characteristics•Broad use groups allow for consideration of new, unanticipated uses Planning Commission Recommendation•Public Hearing held on May 8, 2025 to consider proposed amendments •Ad Hoc Committee edits included •Bench Memorandum addressing minor corrections/adjustments considered and accepted. •Voted 6-0 Recommending City Council Approval Staff RecommendationStaff recommends the City Council:•Find no further environmental review is required for the proposed amendments to Title 16 (Development Code) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 (Projects Consistent with a Community Plan, General Plan, or Zoning) of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations (State CEQA Guidelines)•Adopt an Ordinance amending the following provisions of the Stockton Municipal Code Title 16: Division 1, Chapters 16.04, 16.08 and 16.12, and Division 2, Chapters 16.16, 16.20, and 16.24, and Division 3, Chapters 16.32, 16.36, 16.38, 16.40, 16.48, 16.52. 16.64, 16.68, 16.72, and 16.80, and Division 5, Chapters 16.112, 16.164, and 16.176, and Division 6, Chapters 16.196, 16.210, Division 7, Chapters 16.214 and 16.220, and Division 8, Chapters 16.240 and 16.250