Planning Commission

City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, Merced Civic Center, 678 W. 18th Street, Merced, CA 95340

Agenda — 23 items

1. 1 NOTICE TO PUBLIC
2. 2 WELCOME TO THE MEETING OF THE MERCED PLANNING COMMISSION
3. 3 At least 72 hours prior to each regular Planning Commission meeting, a complete agenda packet is available for review on the City's website at www.cityofmerced.gov or at the Planning Division Office, 678 W. 18th Street, Merced, CA 95340. All public records relating to an open session item that are distributed to a majority of the Commission will be available for public inspection at the Planning Division Office during regular business hours. The Planning Commission also serves as the Board of Zoning Adjustment and the Design Review/Historic Preservation Commission. Assisted hearing devices are available for meetings held in the Council Chamber.
4. 4 PUBLIC COMMENT: OBTAIN SPEAKER CARD FROM THE CLERK
5. 5 Members of the audience who wish to address the Planning Commission are requested to complete a speaker card available at the podium against the right-hand side of the Council Chamber. Please submit the completed card to the Clerk before the item is called, preferably before the meeting begins. Speakers will be called up, 3 to 5 at a time, in the order in which the forms are received. Please use the microphone and state your name and city of residence for the record. For permits, licenses, and other entitlements, the applicant will be allowed 15 minutes (including rebuttal), the appellant/leader of the opposition will be allowed 15 minutes (including rebuttal), and all other speakers shall have 3 minutes each, unless the number of speakers is over 10, which in that case, comments shall be limited to 2 minutes each. For all other issues, for 3 or less speakers, 3 minutes each and for over 10 speakers, 2 minutes each shall be allotted. A timer clock is located above the City Council dais illuminating the remaining time. Once the buzzer sounds, please be courteous and conclude your remarks. Material may be emailed to planningweb@cityofmerced.gov no later than 1 PM on the day of the meeting. Please specify which portion of the agenda you are commenting on, for example, Item # or Public Comments. Your comments will be presented to the Planning Commission at the appropriate time. Any correspondence received after 1 PM will be distributed to the Planning Commission and retained for the official record. To view video (if available) or listen to the City Council meeting live, go to the City’s website www.cityofmerced.gov, YouTube, or Comcast Public Access Channel 96.
6. A. CALL TO ORDER ▶ jump to 0:02
7. A.1. Moment of Silence ▶ jump to 0:10
8. A.2. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag ▶ jump to 0:18
9. B. ROLL CALL ▶ jump to 0:44
10. C. PUBLIC COMMENT ▶ jump to 2:28
11. 11 Members of the public who wish to speak on any matter not listed on the agenda may speak during this portion of the meeting and will be allotted 3 minutes. The Chairperson may, at their discretion, reduce the time to 2 minutes if there are more than 10 speakers, in order to accommodate as many speakers as possible. State law prohibits the Planning Commission from acting at this meeting on any matter raised during the public comment period. Members of the public who wish to speak on a matter that is listed on the agenda will be called upon to speak during discussion of that item. Please submit a Request to Speak card prior to the item being called.
12. D. CONSENT CALENDAR ▶ jump to 3:04
13. 13 Adoption of the Consent Calendar may be made with one motion of the Planning Commission provided that any Planning Commission member, individual, or organization may request removal of an item from the Consent Calendar for separate consideration. If a request for removal of an item from the Consent Calendar has been received, the item will be discussed and voted on separately. With Consent items, there is generally no staff presentation but staff is available for questions.
14. D.1. SUBJECT: Planning Commission Minutes of June 17, 2026, July 8, 2026, and July 22, 2026 ACTION: Approving and filing the Planning Commission Minutes of June 17, 2026, July 8, 2026, and July 22, 2026 26-666 approved Pass
15. E. PUBLIC HEARINGS ITEMS ▶ jump to 3:38
16. 16 Members of the public who wish to speak on public hearings listed on the agenda will be heard when the Public Hearing is opened, except on Public Hearing items previously heard and closed to public comment. After the public has commented, the item is closed to further public comment and brought to the Commission for discussion and action. Further comment will not be received unless requested by the Commission.
17. E.1. SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution Approving Minor Modification #26-0008 and Adopting Environmental Review #26-0061 ACTION: Adopt Resolution #4182 1) Appproving Minor Modification #26-0008 2) Adopting Environmental Review #26-0061 (Categorical Exemption) RECOMMENDATION Planning staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt Resolution #4182 approving Minor Modification #26-0008 and adopting Environmental Review #26-0061 (Categorical Exemption based on CEQA Section 15183 Findings). 26-634 approved Pass
18. F. STUDY SESSION ITEMS ▶ jump to 18:21
19. F.1. SUBJECT: Study Session - Draft Vision Statement of the Comprehensive General Plan Update ACTION: Study Session - Draft Vision Statement of the Comprehensive General Plan Update RECOMMENDATION This item is a Study Session regarding the Draft Vision Statement of the Comprehensive General Plan Update. Planning Commission feedback is requested prior to the Draft Vision Statement being presented to City Council for their consideration. Because this matter is a study session and discussion item - rather than a discretionary permit application or entitlement action - no formal environmental review file number, draft resolution, conditions of approval, or findings are applicable. The Planning Commission is not being asked to take formal approval action at this time; rather, the Commission is asked to review and comment on the Draft Vision Statement and make recommendations to the City Council, which will ultimately consider adoption of the Vision Statement as part of the Comprehensive General Plan Update Accordingly, the standard recommendation format requiring approval of an environmental review determination, adoption of a draft resolution with conditions and findings, and related exhibits does not apply to this study session item. Planning staff recommend that the Planning Commission review the Draft Vision Statement of the Comprehensive General Plan Update, provide comments and suggested edits. Staff will forward Planning Commission’s edits to the City Council for consideration and adoption as part of the Merced 2050 General Plan. 26-341
20. G. BUSINESS ▶ jump to 44:08
21. G.1. SUBJECT: Report by Planning Manager of Upcoming Agenda Items ACTION Information only. 26-667
22. G.2. SUBJECT: Calendar of Meetings/Events Aug. 3 City Council, 6:00 p.m. 5 Planning Commission, 6:00 p.m. 17 City Council, 6:00 p.m. 19 Planning Commission, 6:00 p.m. Sept. 8 City Council, 6:00 p.m. (Tuesday) 9 Planning Commission, 6:00 p.m. 21 City Council, 6:00 p.m. 23 Planning Commission, 6:00 p.m. 26-668
23. H. ADJOURNMENT approved Pass ▶ jump to 45:28