Historic Lathrop

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REVITALIZATION FOR HISTORIC LATHROP

In 2004 The Lathrop City Council expressed its concerns about making certain that, while new development was occurring west of I-5, steps were taken to ensure that the existing part of Lathrop was also improved. As a result, they established The Historic Lathrop Committee to revitalize the established part of the city. The Council selected the Mayor to chair the committee and four members of the community to serve on the committee. The Committee consists of Dan MacNeilage, Ann Doyle, Cindy Martin, and Jim Hilson. On July 23, 2004, the Historic Lathrop Committee had its first meeting. The Mayor’s objective is to promote new investment in Historic Lathrop by existing property owners and others. The committee reviewed concerns relative to the Historic Lathrop area and worked hard to establish a vision for the area.

The Historic Lathrop Committee’s vision:

• To assist the community to improve existing residence
• Establish Historic Lathrop focus points
• Establish a farmers market day
• Historic Lathrop Museum
• Teen Center
• Mixed use Village Center on Seventh Street
• Encourage commercial development on the East side of Lathrop

The Committee discussed many concepts and potential programs and determined that one of the first issues they needed to address was low-density and medium-density housing in Historic Lathrop. The committee looked at various types of land uses and densities over a series of meetings and determined that an overlay zone for low and medium density residential uses would help serve to revitalize Historic Lathrop.

Infill Development Overlay Zone (IDO)

The Low density overlay zone is intended to provide property owners of single-family dwellings in the existing low-density residential area with the opportunity for innovative housing remodeling of their existing lots and for development of vacant parcels. Under the current ordinance, it is difficult for a property owner to remodel a home or meet code requirements for infill development. The committee recommended to the City Council the establishment of an overlay zone that will address these issues.

For existing subdivided lots the Committee is recommending an increase in lot coverage, and a reduction in front yard setbacks for porches, living area and parking. For vacant parcels the Committee is recommending a reduction in lot sizes, and setbacks.

The medium density residential zone consists of mostly one-acre parcels and would provide an opportunity to develop alternative attached and detached housing units. Attached housing may consist of duets, townhouses, condominiums, and apartments. Detached housing may consist of zero lots, Z lots, courtyard or cluster housing. Some of the concepts may only be feasible with development of more than a one-acre parcel. For this area the Committee is recommending all new development standards for attached, detached, and duet housing that will permit smaller lots, reduction in setbacks, and increase in building height.

These are examples of the various types of innovative single-family and multi-family land uses that could be utilized in a historic Lathrop overlay zone that would strive to revitalize the area and provide greater opportunities for alternative housing types.

On July 26, 2005 The Historic Lathrop Committee presented to the City Council the Historic Lathrop proposed overlay zone. It was well received and the City Council directed staff to prepare an ordinance for Historic Lathrop.