Chamber gives city General Plan recommendations

Lodi is a cut above other California cities as an attractive place to live, but the climate for business development needs an extreme makeover.

So says the Lodi Chamber of Commerce in a "white paper" the chamber submitted to the City Council on Tuesday. A 20-member chamber task force issued a series of recommendations for the city's General Plan update at Tuesday morning's council study session.

The report addresses several aspects of the General Plan, including Downtown Lodi, the Eastside, the industrial area east of Highway 99, developing attractive commercial areas along Highway 99 and recommendations to San Joaquin County for areas outside the city limits.

The chamber's main thrust was for the city to do whatever it can — directly and indirectly — to encourage business and industry providing large numbers of jobs to come to Lodi.

Eastside

The task force recommends an overhaul of the Eastside by establishing the proposed redevelopment agency and enterprise zone to add jobs for low-income Eastside residents and making the area more attractive to visitors.

The city should also establish community policing in the Eastside and consider offering free housing in the area for police officers and firefighters to create a presence there and reduce crime.

Also recommended are repairing alleys and infrastructure, such as sewer lines, and attracting more business to Central Avenue, which already has some shops reflecting the various cultures in the area.

Agriculture/greenbelt

The city should develop its new General Plan with an understanding of agriculture's importance to Lodi's culture and economy, according to the chamber task force.

Task force member Pat Stockar, a county planning commissioner, advised the city to work cooperatively with area farmers proposing a greenbelt in the Armstrong Road area. Farmers are willing to negotiate a mutually agreeable solution, Stockar said.

The city should encouraged a customized "AL-5" zone for areas surrounding the Lodi city limits to encourage boutique wineries, bed-and-breakfast inns and other agriculture-related tourism businesses with a rural look and feel. Right-to-farm ordinances are being recommended, along with urging the county to retain the area just north of the Mokelumne River for greater recreation use.

Other recommendations include retaining the city's annual two-percent growth limit and helping the Woodbridge Irrigation District complete a visitors center at Woodbridge Dam so that the public can view the salmon and other fish in the Mokelumne River.

Downtown

The city did a great job in rehabilitating the Downtown area several years ago, but a second phase is needed, the task force said.

Recommended improvements include cleaning the streets and sidewalks on a regular basis, planting colorful flowers, playing recorded music from speakers in the trees or the second story of Downtown buildings, and converting Sacramento Street into an "artist's row," especially near the planned World of Wonders Science Museum, near Pine Street.

The chamber also advises that the city provide financial incentives for businesses to locate Downtown.

City Councilman Larry Hansen asked why there are two vacancies on Elm Street near the Lodi Stadium 12 theater complex, where eateries once operated.

Chamber President and CEO Pat Patrick responded that the Downtown area needs something besides the theater to attract visitors, such as a skating rink. That way, two plus two will equal more than four, Patrick said.

Industry

An industrial area east of Highway 99 should be expanded to allow for some job-creating businesses to move into Lodi. The task force recommends that an industrial area master plan be developed to provide a blueprint for the industrial area.

Task force member Dale Gillespie said that Lodi will have to compete heavily with Stockton, Lathrop and Tracy for distribution centers and other industries, so Lodi must work hard to attract them.

Mayor Bob Johnson said he is concerned that Lodi has too much industry that attracts too few employees.

"We have distribution centers with nine employees and 1,000 forklifts," Johnson said. "That scares the heck out of me."

Johnson said he would like to find a way for the City Council to exert the political will to get more job-creating industry that generates greater tax revenue for the city.

First impression

The city should do whatever possible to give visitors a good first impression of Lodi. That means making the areas along Highway 99, Interstate 5, Victor Road and Cherokee Lane more attractive. More than 100,000 people travel through Lodi on the two major freeways.

Improvements should be made along southbound Highway 99 at the Turner and Victor road exits and the northbound exits at Harney Lane, Kettleman Lane and the exit leading to the southern end of Cherokee Lane. One possibility includes signs with colorful flowers. The city should also work harmoniously with commercial developers to design attractive buildings to attract residents and visitors.

Other recommendations include a large gateway piece of art depicting Lodi's agricultural heritage on Highway 12 between I-5 and the city's western border, and to ensure that Victor Road has a harmonious transition between the industrial area, wineries and the proposed San Joaquin Delta College satellite campus.

The chamber's "white paper" can be found at http://www.lodichamber.com/generalplan.asp.

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.