City Council MeetingJuly 7, 2026Agenda Item 9.2
Community Development Department
REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF ORDINANCES FOR PREZONING AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, CONSIDERATION OF AN APPEAL OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION’S DECISION, AND A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FILING OF AN ANNEXATION APPLICATION WITH LAFCO FOR THE BEAR CREEK SOUTH PROJECT AT 9532 & 10122 N. WEST LANE AND 2525 & 2575 E. MORADA LANE Background•Project Requests: •Approval of an Ordinance for Prezoning•Approval of an Ordinance for a Development Agreement•Approval for filing of Project to LAFCo for annexation•Approval of 3 Tentative Subdivision Maps•Three Landowners:•Klein (Bear Creek Family Limited Partnership)•Tri-Pointe (Tri Pointe Homes Holdings Inc.) •Arnaiz (Eight Mile Road Investors LLC)•16 parcels and 530 total acres, 503-acres being developed•2,241 single-family homes•54-acres of parks and open space Location
Subject Site
Subject Site
General Plan
Subject Site
Subject Site
CommercialIndustrial
Low Density Residential
Project Site
Project Site
GP Land Use designation: LDRMedium Density Residential
High Density ResidentialParks & RecreationInstitutional Zoning
Project Site
Project SiteIndustrial, Limited (IL)Residential, Low Density (RL)Lands in the CountyPublic Facilities (PF) Lands in the County Zoning District: No City ZoningCommercial, General (CG) Site Plan
Northwest Park
Northwest Park
Southwest Park
Southwest Park
Southwest Park
Southwest Park
Southeast Park
Southeast Park
Central Park/Basin
Central Park/Basin
Parks & Open Space
CEQA
The Bear Creek South Project was fully contemplated within the scope of the Envision Stockton 2040 General Plan EIR Multiple prior General Plan iterations and associated environmental reviews considered the residential land use on the Project site A 15183 Consistency Checklist was prepared, and a determination was made related to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Project does not result in new, peculiar, or more severe environmental impacts beyond those previously analyzed.
Cultural Resources ReviewA Cultural Resources Assessment was prepared with input from the Northern Valley Yokuts, as this is their ancestral territory, and have reviewed, and supported, the Project Requirements pertaining to cultural and tribal cultural resources.Site has been subject to extensive agricultural activity for over 175 years, The Project requirements have been developed with and has the support of the historical tribe associated with the area.AB 52 (Tribal Consultation) is required only when preparing a ND, MND, or an EIR; it is not required with a 15183 General Plan consistency determination.Even though it was not required, the City initiated Consultation to provide meaningful opportunities for tribal input and consideration of such input on Cultural Resources. The Project incorporates robust measures to address cultural and tribal cultural resources, ensuring compliance with applicable law and consistency with the intent of AB 52.
PrezoningLand is currently within San Joaquin CountyWill need to be annexed into the City of StocktonProject lands will be prezoned for RL, OS, and PFUpon approval of the annexation by LAFCo, zoning would become effective.All findings can be made per SMC 16.116.050(B)
Development AgreementMaximum of 20-year term • 10-year initial term, with two 5-year extensions (subject to milestones)Locks in Public Facilities Fees for 10-yearsCity receives 27.7 acres of parkland ($4.15 million) at no costParks to be constructed with adjacent site developmentFindings per SMC 16.128.080 can be made to support adoption Negotiated Terms of the DA include:
Planning Commission Hearing – April 9, 2026Planning Commission considered the Bear Creek South Project, including three Tentative Maps, and a recommendation to Council for Prezoning and a Development Agreement.Three comment letters were received prior to the hearing:- Lisjan Nation (via Circle Law Group): Tribal cultural resources and consultation concerns.- Sierra Club Delta-Sierra Group:Affordable housing and EV-ready infrastructure.- Mary Elizabeth:General Plan consistency, ag land conversion, parks, community planning concerns.Following consideration of the staff report, public comments, and administrative record, the Planning Commission voted 5-0 (Sanguinetti recused; Graves absent) for approval.Subsequent Appeal filed on April 20, 2026 by Mary Elizabeth on Tentative Map approvals based on compliance with General Plan and Housing support for low-income households.
Neighborhood meeting, September 10, 2025, At Westwood Elementary School, There were 9 members of the public in attendance, as well as the applicant team and City Staff. All attendees were in support of the Project.
Notice was published June 18, 2026, and mailed notice was sent to all property owners within a 300-foot radius at least twenty (20) days prior. As of the writing of this staff report, there have been no additional comment letters regarding the Project, but staff has received Public Records Requests about the status of the Project.
Public Comment
RecommendationIt is recommended that the City Council: 1. Find no further environmental review is necessary under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21083.3 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 (Projects Consistent with a Community Plan, General Plan, or Zoning); and2. Adopt an Ordinance for the Prezoning of 16 Assessor Parcel Numbers 120-020-27; -11; -12; -26; -30 (portion of); -31; -32; 120-030-10; -06; -07; -09; 122-010-02 (portion of); -04 (portion of); -05; 124-010-01; -03 and -07 to include Residential, Low Density (RL) zoning, Public Facilities (PF) zoning and Open Space (OS) zoning; and3. Adopt an Ordinance approving a Development Agreement; and 4. Approve a motion to Deny the Appeal and uphold the Planning Commission’s approval of Resolution Numbers 2026-04-09-0501-03; -04, and -05, for three (3) Tentative Maps, in accordance with the findings and subject to conditions in the proposed Resolution; and5. Adopt a Resolution authorizing the filing of an annexation application with the San Joaquin Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo)