AGENDA TITLE:
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Provide Direction to Staff on Business Pre-Development Review Process (ED)
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MEETING DATE:
July 2, 2025
PREPARED BY:
Luis Aguilar, Economic Development Director
recommendation
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Provide direction to staff on implementing a business pre-development review process.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Mayor Bregman requested an item for Council discussion on the potential of implementing a business pre-development review process to further assist business owners located or seeking to locate in the City of Lodi. This item is presented to the City Council to seek direction on whether there is interest in establishing such process and to identify preferred options for its implementation.
The City of Lodi currently provides the opportunity for all developers to apply for a formal pre-development review. Due to the in-depth level of review, including a 30-day routing period, application fees are charged where there is significant project information provided by the applicant, warranting city staff (across departments) to perform assessments on infrastructure demands, site development specifics, etc. Through this process, applicants submit preliminary plans (as outlined within the application) and receive formal feedback from all departments at a scheduled pre-development meeting within the standard review timeframe. This is intended for both commercial and residential projects.
If general inquiries are made (regardless of project scope or type), focusing on a project’s appropriateness (land use obligations, planning and building entitlement processes, fee estimates, etc.), based upon initial concept planning only, no fees are charged as this is not a formal review.
A business pre-development review is generally provided as a free service that is coordinated through the Economic Development Department and involves representatives from all departments who provide comments on preliminary sites plans and project requirements before applying for site plan, design review or building permits. The feedback is also provided during a scheduled meeting.
These meetings are also less formal, but seek to achieve the same objective of identifying possible challenges for the project early in the process and help navigate the permitting and development process to meet project timelines effectively. In addition, there is a Project Coordinator that serves as the liaison between the developer or business owner and the city departments.
STRATEGIC VISION:
2A. Economic Development: Develop long-term economic development strategy.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Not applicable.
FUNDING AVAILABLE:
Not applicable.