“Big Box” Ban: How Do You Feel About It?

The City of Turlock Planning Commission will hold a community meeting on whether or not to change the City’s current ban on “big box” stores at Turlock City Hall located at 156 S. Broadway on October 21, 2010, starting at 7:00 p.m.

At its August 24, 2010, meeting, the Turlock City Council directed the Planning Commission to evaluate the current zoning regulation that prohibits “big box” stores in most commercial zoning districts. The type of “big box” stores that are currently prohibited are those retail stores greater than 100,000 square feet in size that devote at least 5% of the total sales floor area to nontaxable merchandise (food items and other items exempt from sale tax as defined by State Law).

At its September 2, 2010, meeting, the Planning Commission considered several options for amending the ordinance, but felt it was important to gauge the community’s interest in making any change. The purpose of this community meeting is to give the Turlock community the opportunity to express its views on whether or not to change the zoning restriction.

Staff will provide a brief update on the options that have been considered by the City Council and Planning Commission, as well as background data that led up to the City’s adoption of the original prohibition on “big box” stores.

Additional information and background materials will be made available approximately one week before the meeting on the Turlock Planning Division web page located at: