BY ALEX CANTATORE
Staff Reporter

Turlock’s west side looks to be the site of a new neighborhood shopping center, following a Planning Commission decision Thursday evening. Plans call for a sit-down restaurant and 92,700 square feet of retail space to occupy 8.98 acres of land at the southeast corner of West Main Street and Kilroy Avenue.

The undeveloped property, located just across West Main from the Regal Turlock Stadium 14 theatre, has long seemed a natural site for construction. However, the parcel’s industrial zoning, preventing the kind of commercial development that might be fitting when considering its proximity to the theater, has dogged the site.

Past planning commissions had previously taken an eye to rezoning the parcel.

In 2001, an indoor soccer stadium was approved for the site. The applicant withdrew the application, however, opting to build Turlock Indoor Soccer in its current location at 500 Center Street instead.

“Putting a commercial development at this location would actually be quite a positive addition to this area,” said Debbie Whitmore, Turlock Deputy Planning Director. “Conceptually, we don’t really have any problem with the idea of redesignating it.”

Following the Planning Commission’s decision, the parcel will be rezoned from Industrial to Community Commercial, allowing for the shopping center to proceed.

Staff initially had some concerns about the lack of a Planned Development master plan for the parcel, potentially creating a shopping center that is inconveniently laid out, produces traffic impacts, or is architecturally unattractive.

The Mervyns shopping center on Geer Road was cited as such one Turlock center that, “provided excellent examples of what not to do when developing commercial properties,” according to the staff report.

However, as no tenants have been located for the new shopping center as of yet, the developers were reluctant to draft such a plan at this time. Instead, the development will require a detailed master plan through Minor Discretionary Permits or Planning Permits as part of the entitlement process.

“We put in a lot of conditions you usually wouldn’t see on a rezone like this,” Whitmore said.

This phase will address issues such as architecture, building elevations, colors, and sign programs.

“We agree with all the conditions,” said Bob Braden of Robert Braden Development. “We understand their concern in plan development, but we just don’t have all the answers at this time.”

According to the developers, one of the most frequently asked questions is what the restaurant will be.

“We’ve had a lot of suggestions,” Brayden said with a chuckle.

To contact Alex Cantatore, e-mail acantatore@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2005.

Originally published in the Turlock Journal 7/4/2008.
Retrieved from the Turlock Journal Web site.