Planning Commission Staff Report
Report Prepared by: Matt Livingston, Assistant Planner, Development Services Department
Title
SUBJECT: Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map #25-0013, initiated by Paramjit Singh and Jaswinder Kaur, property owners. This application involves a request to subdivide approximately 3.38 acres of land at 2500 E Childs Avenue, into 17 residential lots generally ranging in size between 5,565 square feet and 14,579 square feet. This proposed project would create a new cul-de-sac going south off East Childs Avenue. This subject site is generally located south of East Childs Avenue, approximately 500 feet east of Brimmer Road, with a General Plan designation of Low Density Residential (LD), and a Zoning classification of Low Density Residential (R-1-5). **PUBLIC HEARING**
ACTION: Approve/Disapprove/Modify
1) Environmental Review #25-0038 (Categorical Exemption)
2) Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map #25-0013
SUMMARY
The applicant is proposing a vesting tentative subdivision map for 17 low density residential lots at 2500 E. Childs Avenue. The subject site is generally located south of East Childs Avenue, approximately 500 feet east of Brimmer Road (Attachment B). The proposed subdivision would subdivide approximately 3.38 acres of land into 17 residential single-family lots generally ranging in size from 5,565 square feet to 14,579 square feet. Planning staff, along with other City staff, have reviewed the project and recommend approval subject to conditions.
RECOMMENDATION
Planning staff recommends that the Planning Commission approve Environmental Review #25-0038 (Categorical Exemption) and Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map #25-0013 (including the adoption of the Draft Resolution) subject to the conditions in Exhibit A and the findings/considerations in Exhibit B of Draft Resolution #4167 at Attachment A.
Body
DISCUSSION
Project Description
The proposed project would subdivide 3.38 acres of land into 17 standard single-family lots (Attachment C). The subdivision would be accessed from East Childs Avenue from the north, and lead into a newly created cul-de-sac. Immediately to the south of the site is an existing subdivision. With approval of this request, the newly created cul-de-sac would exist directly north of the existing one on Rye Street.
The subdivision will provide a density of about 5.1 dwelling units per acre, which is consistent with the density allowed by the Low Density Residential (LD) General Plan designation, which allows between 2-6 units per acre.
Surrounding uses as noted in Attachment B.
|
Surrounding Land |
Existing Use of Land |
City Zoning Designation |
City General Plan Land Use Designation |
|
North |
Single-Family Dwellings (across E. Childs Avenue) |
Located in Merced County N/A |
Rural Residential (RR) |
|
South |
Single-Family Dwellings |
Low Density Residential (R-1-5) |
Low Density Residential (LD) |
|
East |
Single-Family Dwellings And Farmland |
Low Density Residential (R-1-5) |
Low Density (LD) Residential (LD) |
|
West |
Single-Family Dwellings |
Low Density Residential (R-1-5) |
Low Density Residential (LD) |
Background
This site was originally annexed into the City on December 27, 1990, as part of the Childs Avenue Annexation No. 2. The project site is located directly to the north of the “Hartley Crossings” subdivision, which was approved back in 2005, and has a similar design to this request. With that map approval, it was determined that Rye Street would include a temporary cul-de-sac that would allow Rye Street to be extended up to E. Childs Avenue with future development of the subject site.
On September 17, 2025, the Planning Commission reviewed a different design for this same proposed subdivision, which involved eliminating the existing cul-de-sac on Rye Street and extending Rye Street up to East Childs Avenue. After some discussion about the potential impacts on the existing neighborhood, the applicant decided to withdraw the application and submit a new design that creates a new cul-de-sac instead of extending the current one.
Amendment to Public Hearing Notice
The original Public Hearing Notice for this project described two design options for the subdivision. The notice was amended on October 29, 2025, to reflect that the project would now proceed with a single design option, which includes the creation of a new cul-de-sac from Childs Avenue and that the alternative option, which would have extended Rye Street to Childs Avenue, would no longer be considered.
Findings/Considerations
Please refer to Exhibit B of the Draft Planning Commission Resolution #4167 at Attachment A.
Attachments
A) Draft Planning Commission Resolution #4167
B) Location Map
C) Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map (VTSM) #25-0013
D) MMC 18.16.080 Information Required
E) MMC 20.46.020 Design Standards for Single-Family Dwellings and Mobile Homes
F) Environmental Review - Categorial Exemption
G) Public Comments from September 17, 2025, Planning Commission Meeting
H) Presentation