A. 
The purposes of the site plan review process are to enable the planning commission to make a finding that the proposed development is in conformity with the intent and provisions of this chapter, and to guide the building official in the issuance of building permits. More specifically, site plan review is provided to ensure the following:
1. 
That structures, parking areas, walks, refuse containers, landscaping and street improvements are properly related to their sites and to surrounding sites and structures;
2. 
To prevent excessive grading of the land and creation of drainage hazards;
3. 
To prevent the indiscriminate clearing of property and the destruction of trees and shrubs of ornamental value;
4. 
To avoid unsightly, inharmonious, monotonous and hazardous site development, and to encourage originality in site design and development in a manner which will enhance the physical appearance and attractiveness of the community. The site plan review process is intended to provide for expeditious review of environmental impact assessments required by official policy of the city and laws of the state.
5. 
To ensure that no use shall be established on any lot or site in any zone district until a site plan and architectural plans shall have been submitted to and approved by the city pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 17.100 and 17.104 of the Lathrop Municipal Code, and such lot or site has been fully developed with the improvements required by the city.
B. 
Site plan review provisions of this chapter shall apply to the following uses:
1. 
Any use within the RCO, UR-ST, R, RM, P, P/QP, C and I zone districts, excepting single-family residential use, which is to be constructed on a residential site with complete street improvements;
2. 
Any use subject to an environmental impact assessment under applicable provisions of city policy as adopted by resolution pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970, as amended.
C. 
Minor Changes in Property Use or Change in Occupancy.
1. 
Minor changes in property use or occupancy that do not warrant full site plan review as determined by the planning department will be required to make reasonable minor improvements or upgrade existing improvements under the provisions of Chapter 17.101.
2. 
Minor changes in property use or occupancy that are obviously in a neglected state of repair or maintenance, as determined by the department, will be required to be processed as a site plan review and be required to totally upgrade the property under the provisions of Section 17.100.040.
(Prior code § 187.01; Ord. 18-384 § 1; Ord. 23-449, 11/13/2023; Ord. 25-462, 2/10/2025)
The applicant shall submit prints of the site plan, drawn to scale, and one copy reduced to dimensions of eight and one-half inches by 11 inches, or 11 inches by 17 inches, which shall indicate clearly and with full dimensions the information prescribed by the planning director. Such information may include, but shall not be limited to the following:
A. 
Lot or site dimensions;
B. 
All buildings and structures, including location, size, height and proposed use;
C. 
Yards and space between buildings;
D. 
Walls and fences, including location, height and materials;
E. 
Off-street parking and off-street loading, including location, number of spaces and dimensions of parking and loading areas, and internal circulation pattern;
F. 
Access, pedestrian, vehicular, service, points of ingress and egress, and internal circulation;
G. 
Signs; the location, size, height and type of illumination, if any, including hooding devices;
H. 
Lighting, including location and general nature, and hooding devices;
I. 
Names of all adjacent streets, roads or alleys, showing rights-of-way and dedication widths, reservation widths, and all types of improvements existing or proposed;
J. 
Landscaping, including location, type, size and botanical name of plants and method of irrigation;
K. 
Refuse enclosures, location, type and material;
L. 
North arrow, scale of drawing and name, address and phone number of the person who prepared the site plan;
M. 
Such other data pertaining to site development as may be required by the planning commission to make the required findings.
(Prior code § 187.02)
A. 
Within 15 working days after submission of the site plan, the planning director shall review the site plan. If the director determines that the site plan cannot be approved without the granting of a variance or use permit, or the enactment of an amendment to this chapter, the director shall inform the applicant, and shall not act on the application until proper application for a variance or an amendment has been filed with the director and acted upon as prescribed by this chapter.
B. 
Except as provided under subsection A above, or if a longer period is required to meet the requirements of Section 17.100.080, within 25 working days after the submission of the site plan, the planning commission shall approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove the site plan. In approving the site plan, the commission shall make the findings prescribed under Section 17.100.050.
C. 
The approved site plan, with any conditions shown thereon or attached thereto, shall be dated and signed by the planning director, with one copy mailed to the applicant and one copy filed with the building official.
D. 
Revisions by the applicant to an approved site plan shall be resubmitted to the department in the manner required for drawings first submitted.
(Prior code § 187.03)
In recommending approval of a site plan, the director shall state those conditions of approval necessary to protect the public health, safety and general welfare. To the extent applicable, such conditions shall include consideration and/or requirement of the following:
A. 
Special yards, spaces and buffers;
B. 
Fences and walls;
C. 
Surfacing of parking areas and provisions for surface water drainage subject to city specifications;
D. 
Requiring street dedications and improvements, subject to the provisions of Section 17.100.060, including service roads or alleys when practical, and the requiring of drainage, sewer and water connection fees, and other development fees when applicable;
E. 
Regulation of points of vehicular ingress and egress;
F. 
Regulation of signs, in accordance with the standards prescribed under Section 17.16.010 and Chapters 17.64 through 17.72, 17.80 and 17.84;
G. 
Requiring maintenance of the grounds and the undergrounding of utilities;
H. 
Requiring landscaping and refuse enclosures and maintenance thereof;
I. 
Regulation of noise, vibration, odors and other similar characteristics;
J. 
Measures necessary to eliminate or to effect mitigation to acceptable levels of environmental impact;
K. 
Regulation of time for certain activities to be conducted on the site;
L. 
Regulation of the time period within which the proposed use shall be developed;
M. 
A bond, deposit of money, recorded lien secured by deed of trust, or letter of credit for the completion of street and site improvements and other facilities or for the removal of such use within a specified period of time to assure conformance with the intent and purposes set forth in this chapter;
N. 
Such other requirements which reasonably may be required by the planning commission consistent with the purposes of this subchapter.
(Prior code § 187.04)
A. 
In taking action on a proposed site plan, the planning commission shall make all of the following findings:
1. 
That the site plan complies with all applicable provisions of this chapter;
2. 
That the following are so arranged that traffic congestion is avoided and that pedestrian and vehicular safety and welfare are protected, and there will not be adverse effect on surrounding property:
a. 
Facilities and improvements,
b. 
Vehicular ingress, egress, internal circulation and off-street parking and loading,
c. 
Setbacks,
d. 
Height of buildings,
e. 
Location of service,
f. 
Walls and fences,
g. 
Landscaping, including screen planting and street trees,
h. 
Drainage of site,
i. 
Refuse enclosures;
3. 
Proposed lighting is so arranged as to deflect the light away from adjoining properties;
4. 
Proposed signs will comply with all of the applicable provisions of Section 17.16.010 and Chapters 17.64 through 17.72, 17.80 and 17.84;
5. 
That adequate provision is made to reduce adverse or potentially adverse environmental impacts to acceptable levels.
B. 
In making the above findings, the planning commission shall determine that approvals will be consistent with established legislative policies relating to traffic safety, street dedications and street improvements, environmental quality, and to zoning, fire, police, building and health codes.
(Ord. 92-73)
Because of changes that may occur due to drainage conditions, utility service requirements, or vehicular traffic generated by facilities requiring a site plan review, the following dedications and improvements may be deemed necessary and may be required as a condition or conditions to the approval of any site plan:
A. 
If the development borders or is otherwise traversed by an existing street, or borders or is otherwise traversed by a street proposed to be constructed pursuant to the city general plan or an adopted precise plan line, the applicant may be required to:
1. 
Dedicate all necessary rights-of-way to widen or establish a bordering minor or collector street to the extent of one-half the ultimate width established by the city as the standard for such minor or collector street, or the full extent required for a frontage road, pursuant to the city's general plan or an adopted precise plan line;
2. 
Dedicate all necessary rights-of-way to widen or establish a traversing minor or collector street to its ultimate width established by the city as the standard for such minor or collector street, pursuant to the city's general plan or an adopted precise plan line;
3. 
Dedicate all necessary rights-of-way to widen or establish a bordering or traversing arterial street to the standards of width established by the city for the arterial street pursuant to the city's general plan or an adopted precise plan line;
4. 
Set back all facilities the required distance from ultimate property lines along an arterial street as shown on any master, official or precise plan of streets and highways, or by the city's general plan;
5. 
Install curbs, gutters, sidewalks, street signs, street lights and street trees along one side of a bordering or along both sides of a traversing minor, collector or arterial street;
6. 
Install utilities and drainage facilities to the full extent of the service requirements generated by the development;
7. 
Grade and improve traversing minor or collector streets from curb to the center line of the ultimate right-of-way;
8. 
Grade and improve traversing minor or collector streets from curb to curb;
9. 
Grade and improve the parking lane and one traffic lane adjacent to the development, or the full half width along a bordering arterial street;
10. 
Grade and improve both parking lanes and the two outside traffic lanes, or the full width of a traversing arterial street.
B. 
The extent of improvements required for arterial street improvements will be based on the extent of traffic generated by the proposed project, with reimbursement by agreement with the city to be provided where the extent of improvement is greater than that generated by the proposed project.
C. 
Except as provided in subsections D and E below, all new roads shall be dedicated and improved in accordance with the requirements of subsection A of this section.
D. 
Where a frontage road is provided and improved along an arterial street in accordance with city standards, the curb, gutter, sidewalk, street sign, street light, grading and paving requirements of subsections (A)(5) through (10), pertaining to arterial streets, may be waived.
E. 
Where total access to or from a bordering or traversing arterial street is prohibited as a condition of approval, or by law, the curb, gutter, sidewalk, street sign, street light, grading and paving requirements of subsections (A)(5) through (10), pertaining to arterial streets, may be waived.
F. 
All improvements shall be to city standards existing at the time the site plan is approved, and shall be installed at the time of the proposed development. Where it is determined by the city that it is impractical to put in any or all improvements at the time of the proposed development, an agreement to make such improvements may be accepted in lieu thereof. In any event, the applicant shall enter into an agreement with the city for the provision of improvements before a building permit may be issued, at which time there shall be money deposited with or in favor of the city, or a letter of credit or performance bond posted with the city, in an/amount equal to 150% of the estimated cost of improvements, as estimated by the city engineer, to guarantee the making of such improvements.
G. 
Street dedications and improvements which may be required by this section shall be considered only on the principle that they are required as near as practical in proportion to the traffic, utility and other demands generated by the proposed development.
(Ord. 92-73; Ord. 00-185 § 1)
Appeal of the approving authority's action on the request for site plan review entitlement shall be made in accordance with the procedures specified in Chapter 17.125, Appeals.
(Ord. 92-73; Ord. 19-405 § 1)
A. 
Environmental Impact Assessment. A site plan approved pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be considered in relation to requirements of city policy governing the preparation of environmental impact assessments (EIAs), including initial studies prepared as a basis for a determination for a negative declaration or an environmental impact report (EIR). It is the intent of this chapter that an initial study/environmental impact assessment be made concurrently with, and as part of the site plan review process, and that a site plan may be approved with conditions that will permit the city council to find that the proposed project will not have significant adverse physical effects on the environment and that a negative declaration should be prepared.
B. 
Environmental Impact Reports. Where it is determined by the city that an EIR is required for a proposed project, action on a proposed site plan shall be deferred until such time as the EIR has been prepared and reviewed pursuant to provisions of the city's guidelines and state law. The planning commission shall, at the completion of the EIR review, attach such conditions to the approval of the site plan as in their judgment or the judgment of the city council will mitigate or reduce to acceptable levels any of the environmental impacts identified during review of the EIR. The planning commission may deny a site plan if it is found that such mitigation or reduction of environmental impacts is not feasible.
C. 
Monitoring Program to Assure Compliance with Mitigation Measures.
1. 
As a condition of the agreement between the city and the applicant, or as a condition of site plan approval, the city shall institute an EIR mitigation monitoring program to meet the requirements of AB 3180 (codified as Public Resources Code Section 21081.6, and as may be amended). Mitigation monitoring shall take place during all successive review procedures of the building construction and land development process, including at the time of plan checking for buildings and public and private improvements, during field inspection of construction, at the time of the issuance of an occupancy permit, and during ensuing operations of the project after project completion.
2. 
The ultimate responsibility for the monitoring of mitigation measures shall rest with the city. However, to the extent practical, short-term or on-going responsibility may be shared by the city with the party responsible for project management and operation after project completion, and especially where ongoing operations are required to meet specific standards. The initiation and conduct of an adequate mitigation monitoring program shall apply to a project approved with a mitigated negative declaration or to an EIR.
(Ord. 92-73)
Before a building permit shall be issued for any building, structure or sign proposed as part of an approved site plan, the building official shall determine that the proposed building location, facilities and improvements are in conformity with the approved site plan and any applicable mitigation monitoring agreement. Before a building may be occupied or a sign erected, the building official shall certify to the planning department that such improvements have been made in conformity with the plans, programs and conditions approved by the planning commission and/or city council.
(Ord. 92-73)
A site plan approval shall lapse and shall become void 36 months following the date on which approval by the planning commission or city council became effective unless, prior to the expiration of 36 months, a building permit is issued by the building official and construction is commenced and diligently pursued toward completion of the site or structures which were the subject of the site plan.
Approval may be extended for an additional period not to exceed 12 months upon written application to the approving body before expiration of the first approval. Notwithstanding, if a development agreement has been adopted for a subject site, the expiration date of subsequent project approvals may be set forth in the development agreement.
The period of time specified in this section shall not include any period of time in which the city is precluded from approving discretionary permits, discretionary entitlements, and/or ministerial permits related to urban level flood protection pursuant to Government Code Section 65962.
(Ord. 92-73; Ord. 96-136; Ord. 97-151; Ord. 16-361 § 1)
The planning commission or city council may establish a lesser or greater time limit than that provided by Section 17.100.100, within which the subject property and use or any stage or phase thereof shall be commenced and completed. The time limits set by the commission or council shall be reasonable, based on the size, nature and complexity of the proposed development. The time limit may be extended by the commission or council for good cause, such as proof of an unusual hardship not of the applicant's own making.
(Ord. 26-479, 3/9/2026)