Council To Vote On Motion To Promote More Retail Near NewPark Mall

Non-retail businesses may soon be limited if they want to move into town near .

The City Council will vote on an ordinance tonight that would remove “administrative, financial, professional and real estate offices” under permitted uses in Newark’s Regional Commercial Zoning District.

Instead, those types of businesses would be added to a list of conditional uses in commercial districts.

Under the city’s municipal code, regional commercial district zones are areas that areas reserved for businesses that “serve a regional market” and that are intended to “support the economic diversity and future financial well-being of the city through generation of substantial amounts of revenue.“

Community Development Director Terrence Grindall said that Newark’s regional commercial district pertains to NewPark Mall and its surrounding areas, which include , the near and the Mowry Plaza, which houses TJ Maxx and .

The reason behind the change, Grindall said, is to modernize the city’s zoning to ensure that each area of town is used for its primary use.

“[NewPark Mall] is the most intensive regional commercial district,” Grindall said. The primary use in that area is retail businesses, and with the weakening in the economy, there is a concern…and we want any business that isn’t retail to come before the city [staff].”

If adopted, the current business in those areas that are categorized as “administrative, financial, professional and real estate offices” would not be impacted, Grindall said.

However, if one of those types of businesses moves out of the area, a similar business that wishes to take its place would be allowed to only after a review from city officials.

“Ultimately if that retail center is going to be successful, you have to attract retail,” Grindall said.

The update in the ordinance is the first steps will take toward updating it’s zoning. Grindall said the long-term plan is to examine and modernize the entire zoning of the whole city but that it is on hold because the priority is to update Newark’s general plan.

“Our zoning right now is very open. As long as its in permitted uses, it’s just allowed. We probably want to be more specific,” Grindall said.

The update of the city’s general plan, which is known as the Newark General Plan Enhancement Project, is currently under way and is headed by a team of graduate students with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s City and Regional Planning Department.

A General Plan is a policy document that acts as a guideline for county and city leaders when it comes to decision-making for future development. The city’s General Plan was last approved in 1992, after eight years of developing the plan.

The adoption of the ordinance will be voted on at the council’s 7 p.m. meeting and is listed under its consent agenda. The meeting will be held at City Hall, 37101 Newark Blvd.

For the full agenda for tonight’s meeting, click here to download it from the City of Newark website.