Link

Social

Embed

Disable autoplay on embedded content?

Download

Download
Download Transcript

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:02]

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO TODAY'S PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. WE ARE GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.

WE ALL JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU. ROLL CALL OF COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE.

COMMISSIONER TATUM. YES. COMMISSIONER ERRECA.

HERE. COMMISSIONER JAWAD. VICE CHAIRMAN RAMIREZ.

HERE. CHAIRMAN SPYCHER. HERE. MR. CHAIR, YOU HAVE A QUORUM.

THANK YOU. MOVING ON. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.

[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

HAS ANYONE READ THE MINUTES AND LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I'LL SECOND.

YES, I DID READ THE MINUTES. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND AND AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT WE'VE READ THE MINUTES.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AT THIS TIME. ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COME SPEAK TO SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO DO SO. SEEING NONE, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AND MOVE ON TO PUBLIC HEARING.

[6. PUBLIC HEARING(S)]

MINOR SUBDIVISION NUMBER MS2 4-016. GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN SPYCHER AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS ANA HERNANDEZ. AND THE PROJECT BEFORE YOU TODAY IS MINOR SUBDIVISION NUMBER MS24-016 FOR THE APPLICANT, BRENT WICKSTROM. THE PROJECT IS A REQUEST TO SUBDIVIDE A 4.23 ACRE PARCEL FROM A 36.1 ACRE PARCEL, RESULTING IN PARCEL ONE AND APPROXIMATELY 4.23 ACRE HOME SITE, PARCEL AND PARCEL TWO, AND APPROXIMATELY 31.87 ACRE.

NO NEW RESIDENTS ARE PROPOSED, AND THE PROJECT SITE IS DESIGNATED AGRICULTURAL LAND USE IN THE GENERAL PLAN AND ZONED A-1 GENERAL AGRICULTURE.

THIS IS THE VICINITY OF THE PROJECT SITE. THE PROJECT SITE IS OUTLINED IN RED AND CONSISTS OF ONE PARCEL, APPROXIMATELY 36.1 ACRES, LOCATED ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF NORTH COLUMBUS AVENUE AND WEST TURNER AVENUE IN THE HILMAR AREA.

THE SITE CONSISTS OF A RURAL RESIDENCE, A POOL HOUSE, AND A BARN USED FOR STORAGE.

THE REMAINDER OF THE PARCEL IS MADE UP OF ROW CROPS.

ACCESS IS PROVIDED BY A FULL ACCESS DRIVEWAY ALONG COLUMBUS AVENUE.

THE HOME IS MAINTAINED BY A PRIVATE WELL AND ONSITE SEPTIC SYSTEM, AND A 60 FOOT WIDE TURLOCK IRRIGATION DISTRICT CANAL RUNS EAST TO WEST THROUGH THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE PARCEL. THE PROJECT SITE AND SURROUNDING AREA IS GENERALLY FLAT AND CHARACTERIZED BY AGRICULTURAL LAND USES SUCH AS DISPERSED RURAL RESIDENCES, ROW CROPS, AND A DAIRY TO THE SOUTH OF THE PROJECT SITE.

THIS IS A TENTATIVE MAP WHICH DISPLAYS BOTH PROPOSED PARCELS.

PARCEL ONE, THE 4.23 ACRE HOME SITE PARCEL OUTLINED IN BLUE AND PARCEL TWO.

THE 31.87 PARCEL OUTLINED IN RED. PARCEL ONE WOULD MAINTAIN ALL EXISTING STRUCTURES, AND THE ON SITE SEPTIC SYSTEM AND PRIVATE WELL ACCESS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED THROUGH THE FULL ACCESS DRIVEWAY ONTO COLUMBUS AVENUE.

PARCEL ONE WOULD MEET THE REQUIRED 200 FOOT AGRICULTURAL BUFFER, WHICH REQUIRES A MINIMUM OF 200FT FROM ANY EXISTING HABITABLE STRUCTURES TO ANY ABUTTING PARCELS USED FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. THIS POLICY, OUTLINED IN SECTION 18.10.030 OF THE MERCED COUNTY ZONING CODE, MINIMIZES THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURAL LAND AND FARMING ON ANY NEARBY OR PROPOSED RESIDENCES.

PARCEL TWO WOULD MAINTAIN THE ROW CROPS AND THE EXISTING WELL USED FOR IRRIGATION.

PARCEL TWO WOULD HAVE STREET FRONTAGE ONTO BOTH COLUMBUS AVENUE AND TURNER AVENUE.

THE PROJECT IS CONSISTENT WITH APPLICABLE GENERAL PLAN POLICIES REGARDING THE FACILITATION AND PRESERVATION OF AGRICULTURAL USES.

THE PROJECT IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE SUBDIVISION MAP ACT AND TITLE 17.

IN COMPLIANCE WITH POLICY AG-3.12. STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED THE FINAL MAP INCLUDE A NOTE STATING THAT ANY NEW RESIDENCES WILL REQUIRE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FROM THE COUNTY. THE PROJECT IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE MERCED COUNTY ZONING CODE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 18.10.030.

THE HOME SITE PARCEL MAY BE SECTIONED OFF AND IS EXEMPT FROM THE MINIMUM PARCEL SIZE REQUIREMENTS BY SATISFYING THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS.

NUMBER ONE, THE PORTION OF THE PARCEL WHICH DOES NOT CONTAIN THE DWELLING MEETS THE MINIMUM PARCEL SIZE REQUIREMENT, OR IS COMBINED WITH AN ABUTTING PARCEL TO CREATE A PARCEL WHICH MEETS THE MINIMUM PARCEL SIZE REQUIREMENTS.

NUMBER TWO THE PARCEL WITH THE RESIDENCE IS NOT LESS THAN ONE ACRE AND NOT MORE THAN FIVE ACRES IN SIZE.

AND NUMBER THREE, THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE LIVED AT THE RESIDENCE FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS.

STAFF HAS DETERMINED THAT NO FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 15162.

SUBSEQUENT EIRS AND NEGATIVE DECLARATIONS OF THE CEQA GUIDELINES.

[00:05:01]

THE 2030 MERCED COUNTY GENERAL PLAN PROGRAM ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT CONTAINED AN EXTENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS FROM SUBDIVISIONS LOCATED IN AGRICULTURAL AREAS. THE DRAFT AND FINAL PROGRAM, EIR, CONCLUDED THAT THE IMPACTS FROM AGRICULTURAL SUBDIVISIONS WERE LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT WHEN NO NEW RESIDENCES ARE PROPOSED.

FURTHER ANALYSIS THAT SUPPORTS THIS DETERMINATION CAN BE FOUND IN ATTACHMENT C OF THE STAFF REPORT.

NOTICE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS PUBLISHED IN THE MERCED COUNTY TIMES ON MARCH 27, 2025, AND MAILED TO PROPERTY OWNERS OF RECORD WITHIN 300FT OF THE PROJECT SITE ON MARCH 28, 2025. THERE WERE NO COMMENTS RECEIVED. STAFF HAS TWO RECOMMENDATIONS TO DETERMINE NO FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 15162. SUBSEQUENT EIRS AND NEGATIVE DECLARATIONS OF THE CEQA GUIDELINES BASED ON THE ANALYSIS IN THE 2030 MERCED COUNTY GENERAL PLAN PROGRAM ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND THE ATTACHED CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15162 FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS.

AND APPROVE MINOR SUBDIVISION NUMBER MS 24-016.

BASED ON THE FINDINGS IDENTIFIED IN THE STAFF REPORT AND SUBJECT TO THE RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL.

THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SEEING NONE, WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS.

IF ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO COME AND SPEAK ON THIS, YOU COULD GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

OKAY. OKAY. OH, THERE IT IS. MAYBE I WASN'T CLOSE ENOUGH.

GOOD MORNING. COMMISSION AND STAFF. MY NAME IS ADAM REID.

I'M A 1520 FRUITLAND AVENUE IN ATWATER, AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE BRENT WICKSTROM FOR THIS PROJECT.

IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

AND THEN I'D LIKE TO THANK ANA AND TIFFANY FOR THEIR HELP WITH THIS APPLICATION.

THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ADAM? NO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. MOVING ON. WOULD ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC LIKE TO COME SPEAK ON THIS? SEEING NONE, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT BACK FOR WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? OKAY, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT THE COMMISSION DETERMINES NO FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 15162 SUBSEQUENT EIRS AND NEGATIVE DECLARATIONS OF THE CEQA GUIDELINES, BASED ON ANALYSIS IN THE 2030 MERCED COUNTY GENERAL PLAN PROGRAM ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND ATTACHED CEQA GUIDELINES, SECTION 15162 FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS. THANK YOU.

WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE PROJECT DETERMINATION.

OKAY. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVE MINOR SUBDIVISION NUMBER MS24-016.

BASED ON THE FINDINGS IDENTIFIED IN THE STAFF REPORT AND SUBJECT TO THE RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL.

WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY ALSO. NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER ACTION ITEMS. SEEING NONE. DIRECTOR'S REPORT. THANK YOU, MR.

[8. DIRECTOR'S REPORT]

CHAIRMAN. I JUST EXCUSE ME. WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME OUR NEWEST PLANNER, YANIERA P[INAUDIBLE].

SHE STARTED YESTERDAY. SO THIS PRETTY MUCH FILLS OUT OUR PLANNING TEAM, WHICH WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT TO HAVE A FULL TEAM FOR ONCE.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU PART OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR REPORTS. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS.

SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE FOR ADJOURNMENT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.