Phased Development Code Amendments – Title 17
Beginning in 2023, the City of Lodi Planning Division launched a multi-year, phased effort to update and modernize Title 17 (Development Code) of the Lodi Municipal Code. The goal of this work is to keep the City’s zoning regulations current, clear, and effective in implementing the General Plan and Council direction.
Through a series of targeted code amendments, this project is intended to:
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Reflect recent changes in State planning and housing law
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Streamline permit and entitlement processes where appropriate
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Implement City Council priorities and adopted policy direction
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Improve usability, clarify procedures, and remove outdated provisions
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Correct inconsistencies, errors, and omissions identified by staff and the public
Because of the breadth of the needed changes, the Development Code updates are being completed in distinct “phases,” each focused on specific topics and sections of Title 17. Each phase has been considered by the Planning Commission and adopted by the City Council as a separate ordinance, with the following adoption milestones:
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Phase 1 – Adopted by City Council in December 2023
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Phase 2 – Adopted by City Council in March 2025
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Phase 3 – Adopted by City Council in October 2025
Per LMC 17.72.080, Each ordinance becomes effective 30 days following the City Council’s second reading.
The sections below provide a summary of the key changes included in each phase, along with links to the adopting ordinances and related staff reports.
Phase 1 – Adopted December 2023
Phase 1 delivered focused updates to modernize land-use tables, clarify development standards, and streamline approvals. The amendments addressed outdated uses, emerging business types, and recurring consistency issues across zoning districts.
17.14.100 – Walls, Fences, and Hedges
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Updated fence height limits within the visibility triangle to match Public Works standards.
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Clarified measurement and placement requirements.
17.20.030 (Table 2-6) – Commercial Districts
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Added a UP for crop production in non-ag zones (existing uses grandfathered).
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Allowed community centers in the Community Commercial zone.
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Streamlined permitting for small fitness/yoga/personal training studios.
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Created new discretionary processes and standards for auto sales and rental, convenience stores, warehouse retail, mortuaries, and veterinary clinics/animal hospitals/kennels.
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Drive-throughs now reviewed under a Minor Use Permit (MUP) by SPARC.
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Removed outdated uses such as audio/video rental.
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Removed parking facilities/vehicle storage as an allowable use in General Commercial.
17.22.030 (Table 2-8) – Mixed-Use Districts
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Added UP for crop production in non-ag zones.
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Enabled parks and playgrounds in mixed-use zones.
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Streamlined permitting for small fitness studios.
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Added MUP/UP processes for auto parts sales (DMU), auto sales and rental, convenience stores, mobile home/RV sales (MUC), warehouse retail, mortuaries/funeral homes (MUC), and pharmacies (DMU).
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Removed outdated uses and removed parking facilities/vehicle storage from the Mixed Use Corridor zone.
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Added clarifying footnotes referencing requirements elsewhere in the code.
17.24.030 – Industrial Districts
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Added UP for off-site alcohol sales.
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Added citations for development standards for auto sales, indoor storage, vehicle storage, and drive-throughs.
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Streamlined drive-through permitting to an MUP reviewed by SPARC.
17.36.170 – Parking Facilities / Vehicle Storage
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Added new siting, screening, and setback standards in response to increased demand for truck parking.
17.36.180 – Auto Sales and Rental
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Updated development standards and review procedures for auto sales and rental lots.
17.36.190 – Indoor Storage (Mini-Storage)
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Updated design and development standards and added cross-references for consistency.
17.54.090 – Final Maps
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Streamlined filing and processing procedures and clarified submittal requirements to align with state law.
Phase 2 – Adopted
March 2025
Phase 2 introduced a focused set of amendments to Title 17 to create better alignment with the General Plan, support infill development, respond to state law and Council priorities, and clean up outdated or unclear standards. These updates improve usability, increase predictability for applicants, and reflect emerging land-use trends.
17.14.100 – Walls, Fences, and Hedges
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Increased maximum fence height from 6 feet to 7 feet along residential side and rear property lines.
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Eliminates the need for discretionary review for fencing between 6 and 7 feet.
17.20.030, 17.22.030, 17.24.030 – Commercial, Mixed-Use, and Industrial Land Use Tables
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Added new land use categories for Food Truck Parks (Pods/Hubs, Plazas, and Park/Commissary).
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Established appropriate permit pathways (MUP or UP) based on intensity and zone.
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Updated tables to incorporate new definitions and align with related development standards.
17.28.040 – Planned Development (-PD) Overlay District
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Reduced minimum PD acreage from 5 acres to 1 acre to encourage smaller-scale infill opportunities.
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Added new development standards to improve design quality and ensure PDs integrate well with surrounding areas.
17.32.040 – Number of Parking Spaces Required
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Updated parking requirements to reflect the introduction of Food Truck Parks and related uses.
17.36.200 – Food Truck Parks
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New development standards including:
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Initial cap of three Food Truck Parks citywide.
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Allowed in commercial and industrial zones with MUP or UP depending on intensity.
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No on-site food truck storage unless a licensed commissary is provided.
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Minimum two customer parking spaces per truck and three customer seats per truck.
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Required landscaping and screening.
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Alternative compliance may be approved by the Community Development Director.
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17.36.210 – Gas Stations (Fueling Stations)
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Updated siting and design standards:
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Allowed only on arterial streets.
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Must be 500 feet from residential uses.
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Minimum parcel size 15,000 sq. ft. and minimum frontage 150 feet.
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Limited to two driveways.
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Updated spacing standards for pump islands and structures.
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Additional landscaping required to buffer adjacent properties.
17.78.020 – Definitions
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New definitions added to support updated land-use tables and Food Truck Park standards, including:
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Commissary, Cottage Court, Duplex, Food Truck Park, Food Truck Pod/Hub, Food Truck Plaza, Food Truck Park/Commissary co-Location.
Phase 3 – Adopted
October 2025
Phase 3 advanced a set of zoning and building code updates to align with the General Plan, implement City Council direction, strengthen public health and safety standards, and continue modernizing outdated or unclear portions of the Development Code. The amendments address new regulatory needs, streamline selected processes, and update several definitions and land-use sections.
California Historical Building Code – New Reference (Title 15)
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Formally adopts the California Historical Building Code to guide preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, relocation, or reconstruction of designated historic buildings and properties.
17.36.220 – Tobacco Retailer Establishments (New Section)
New location and operational standards include:
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Prohibited within 500 feet of any youth-oriented facility.
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Prohibited within 500 feet of another tobacco retailer.
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Existing retailers become legal nonconforming.
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No self-service displays or redemption of coupons/discounts.
17.36.230 – Alcoholic Beverage Sales (On-Sale & Off-Sale) – New Standards
New location and operational standards were added for liquor stores, convenience stores, markets, taverns, bars, and restaurants with bars. Key requirements include:
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Distance Requirements:
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New alcoholic beverage establishments are prohibited within 500 feet of any public or private school, nursery school, preschool, or daycare facility.
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New establishments are also prohibited within 500 feet of public parks, playgrounds, recreational areas, or youth facilities.
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Over-Concentration Areas:
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Establishments seeking to upgrade or transfer an existing off-sale license within a census tract that already has an over-concentration of alcohol licenses must meet additional findings and operational requirements.
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Additional standards apply when transferring an off-sale license to another location within an over-concentration census tract.
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High-Crime Areas:
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Additional requirements apply to alcoholic beverage establishments located in a crime reporting district where the crime rate exceeds the citywide average by more than 20%.
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17.18.040 – Residenbtial Zoning
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Corrected RMD height limit from 2 stories to 3 stories.
Commercial / Mixed-Use / Industrial Zones (17.20.030, 17.22.030, 17.24.030)
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Added religious facilities as a Use Permit use in Industrial (M) zones.
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Added new references to tobacco, alcohol, problem-use standards.
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Minor Use Permit required for drive-throughs in MCE zones, aligning requirements with MCO.
Parking Standards (17.32.040)
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Reduced required parking for one-bedroom duplexes to align with multifamily uses.
Reduce parking requirement for mobile home parks.
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Removed allowance for tandem parking in a carport.
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Added duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhouses, and cottage courts to multifamily parking categories.
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Reduced senior housing parking from 0.75 to 0.5 spaces per unit.
Process & Clean-Up Updates (17.40.020, 17.40.050)
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Updated Site Plan & Architectural Review and variance sections for clarity and consistency.
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Cleaned up references to residential zones in multiple permitting tables (replacing specific R-1, R-1E, R-2 references with “residential”).
17.78.020 – Definitions
Added or updated definitions for: Alcoholic beverage sales, Cottage court, Duplex / Triplex / Fourplex, Emergency shelters, Low Barrier Navigation Center, Problem use, Short-term rental, and Tobacco retailer establishment.
Coming Soon!
Upcoming incremental code amendments will include a new Historic Preservation Ordinance, updated annexation standards, Objective Design Standards, Housing Element program implementation measures, and updates to the Downtown Mixed Use zoning standards to align with the forthcoming Downtown Specific Plan, along with additional clean-up and modernization efforts.