City to move on expanding sphere of influence

Jun. 24—While the City of Lodi is eyeing three areas outside the city limits for possible annexation over the next three decades, community development department staff said their inclusion into the city is not set in stone.

The Lodi Planning Commission on Tuesday voted 4-0 to recommend the city council submit a municipal services review and proposed sphere of influence to San Joaquin County's Local Agency Formation Committee.

According to staff, the city's current municipal services review — which is a comprehensive study to determine the adequacy of government offered services such as public works, police and fire — was last approved by LAFCo in 2007 and is now out of date.

If the city wanted to annex three areas on its western, southern and eastern borders, the MSR and SOI documents must be approved by LAFCo, staff said.

"This doesn't result in any change to boundaries," contract planner Paul Junker said. "No new land will be added to the city of Lodi based upon this action by the planning commission, city council or LAFCo. This is a planning exercise that does identify future lands that could be considered for additions to the city of Lodi."

Those future lands include an area just north of Kettleman Lane, south of West Vine Street and west of Lower Sacramento Road; as well as an area south of Harney Lane and west of the Union Pacific railroad tracks.

A third piece of land south of Kettleman Lane and east of Highway 99 is also being considered for annexation.

Junker said the city's entire sphere of influence — areas outside the city limits that could potentially be annexed — is 1,590 acres, and the southern area being eyed for annexation is has the largest footprint.

The area is currently not developed and includes what used to be known as Perrin Ranch, Junker said.

Developers have eyed the site for a project called Vineyard Valley, he added. And other property owners in the area have an interest in becoming part of the city.

Vineyard Valley is a proposed residential project consisting of 743 home on 164 acres, along with a 6.6-acre park and a 2-acre private recreation center.

Some residents in the area have already voiced opposition to the project, although it cannot move forward unless the southern area is annexed.

While the city has not expressly shown interest in these two areas, Junker said they are already in its sphere of influence and could be annexed within the next 10 years.

"People who live on individual lots in these areas have some concerns, they don't really want their lifestyle to change," Junker said. "Also a fair contingent of residents in that situation who really want to be in the city, and that's because they might be on a failing water or septic systems. So those folks are very motivated to be part of the city because they'll get those services that will help them out."

The eastern area is not currently in the sphere of influence, but Junker said the city has shown interest in its annexation for the purpose of developing commercial and industrial uses. He said its annexation could happen within the next 30 years.

Junker reminded the commission that the city cannot approve the annexation of these areas. What the city does, he said, is adopt its municipal service review and sphere of influence areas and submits them to LAFCo for review.

That commission approves the submission, and the city must then propose annexing the areas in question.

Ultimately, LAFCo approves any annexations into cities.

Commission vice chair Mitch Slater said while he cannot vote against the MSR and SOI approval, he did have concerns with the possibility of annexing the area south of the city limits.

"Moving south toward Stockton may generate their interest in moving north," he said. "And I'm in the group that wants to keep Lodi and Stockton as separate entities. When I say communities grow together, it's typically known that you lose your identity. That's what I want to keep from happening."

Junker said the City of Stockton in recent years has stepped away from trying to expand northward due to economic restraints. However, San Joaquin County has expressed interest in developing lands between Lodi and Stockton, he said.

The city council will approve the MSR and SOI at a future meeting, and LAFCo will review the documents some time afterward.

Commissioners Bill Cummins, Julieann Martin and Manjit Singh were absent from the meeting.