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The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.
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Lodi's planning manager promotes green thinking
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
One of Lodi's most progressive planning efforts was highlighted in Sacramento on Wednesday at the annual Great Valley Center conference.

Lodi Planning Manager Peter Pirnejad touted the Reynolds Ranch project for its "groundbreaking" and "holistic approach" to community planning.
The 220-acre mixed-use, residential, commercial and office project has been selected as part of the United States Green Building Council's pilot program, known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development, or LEED-ND.
Previously, the council certified only individual buildings for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient designs.
The new program is now looking to put their stamp on entire developments, Pirnejad said.
Reynolds Ranch was approved by the Lodi City Council in 2006, by a 3 to 2 vote. It includes an annexation of land south of Harney Lane, an area city leaders have eyed as a greenbelt between Lodi and Stockton.
The project will follow the council's energy-efficient building requirements, which go above and beyond typical building standards.
Reynolds Ranch will be a higher density project than most in the city, with an average of seven units per acre, Pirnejad said.
That emphasis on compact design, plus having jobs built-in to the development with the new Blue Shield office complex, walking and bike trails, a bus connection and housing geared for seniors, sets the development apart from any other in the city, he added.
For more information on LEED, a rating system offered by the United States Green Building Council, visit www.usgbc.org.
Source: United States Green Building Council
Pirnejad said there was "a lot of excitement" at the conference about the LEED-ND pilot program.
Reynolds Ranch was among just a few developments in the Central Valley chosen for the program, he noted.
The Great Valley Center is a Modesto-based nonprofit that promotes "the economic, social and environmental well-being" of the Central Valley.
Pirnejad said Reynolds Ranch will definitely improve the well-being of Lodi with smart growth principles.
The unique development is planned near Harney Lane just west of Highway 99.
The first part of it — the two-story 160,000 square-foot Blue Shield campus — is now under construction.
A fire station, parks, more than a thousand homes and 350,000 square-feet of retail space have yet to be built.
Contact reporter Chris Nichols at chrisn@lodinews.com.

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Editor
LF wrote on May 19, 2008 7:59 PM:
Did you know that not all of the grape fields are being torn out? I noticed that the articles never mention this.
This project can be good for the city of Lodi with the extra revenue coming into the city budget.
Give this one a chance and try to see the positive side of this RR project since it is something that will happen no matter what. Another thing to keep in mind, this one company seems to be planning on bringing in 400 to 600 more jobs to Lodi people. That is a good thing! "
sam wrote on May 16, 2008 11:41 AM:
The pretty green lines were drawn to make lodians who fear Stockton "feel better." "
sam wrote on May 16, 2008 11:38 AM:
That would be SWEET. "
Lodicitizen wrote on May 11, 2008 4:25 PM:
Robb wrote on May 10, 2008 7:21 PM:
papercut wrote on May 9, 2008 9:52 PM:
papercut wrote on May 9, 2008 9:48 PM:
whoa nellie! wrote on May 9, 2008 6:39 PM:
Don't forget the "important" part about the BC deal was saving the existing 600-700 jobs with the idea that the new facility could easily increase to 1,000 employees. Add that to the increased revenue stream (sales tax) by the retail development and any lame brain CC member would vote for it.
Hopefully with the mortgage & foreclosure mess, economic woes, etc etc, our City Leaders will walk, not run, into approving these mega projects.
"
sam wrote on May 9, 2008 4:54 PM:
papercut wrote on May 9, 2008 9:45 AM:
sam wrote on May 9, 2008 8:50 AM:
stucknlodi wrote on May 9, 2008 8:31 AM:
Audi 5000 wrote on May 9, 2008 8:24 AM:
sam wrote on May 9, 2008 7:16 AM: