Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening, I'd like to call the meeting to order. We'll start with the flag salute. Oh, and by the way, don't pay any attention to the clock on the wall, it's a little slow. Can we have the roll call, please?

Thank you. At this time, the public is welcome to address the Planning Commission on items of interest to the public that are not listed on the agenda. Comments to the commission are limited to a maximum of three minutes. Is there anyone who would like to address the commission at this time? Is there anyone online who would like to address the commission on items not on the agenda? No. All right. We'll move on. And the next item is minutes from hearings of 7-16-2026. Chair will entertain a motion to accept the minutes or if there's corrections that need to be made, this is the time to do it.

Thank you. Next item on the agenda, actions on request for continuous or withdrawals.

All right. So now we'll get on to the main attractions for tonight. Before, I'm going to give you a short explanation of the procedures and how they work. So Public hearing will be declared. We'll open it up, and then the staff will give their report and recommendations. And after that, the applicant may provide oral or written testimony. It's limited to 20 minutes. And other proponents may then give their testimony in person or via Microsoft Teams. And then the project's opponents may provide testimony in person or via Microsoft Teams. It's limited to three minutes each. And I forgot to menti

Thank you, any questions for staff at this time? All right, then the applicant or their representative now can come forward. And when you do, please state your name and your address for the record.

Could you state your name and your address for the record? Thank you.

I've got a couple. Okay, so. The berm that is out there, I think in the report from armed professional consultants did state that it needed to repair the impact.

Yeah. Part of the recommendations from the county's expert is to repair the impact of the berm. I can answer that one for you.

Okay, so was that part of the recommendations from staff that the berm be repaired?

Thank you. Another one of the recommendations, you talked about the steel canopies, and I believe you guys are suggesting it be used with 3-8 inch AR-50 rated steel plate. Is that correct? Our plans were for AR-400 plating. Oh, that's correct. You're right. I didn't read further. It says the use of AR-400 rated steel is not adequate for rifle caliber rounds. In your expert opinion, is that correct, sir?

OK. Part of the recommendation is if they go forward with the steel canopy, they're going to use AR-400 rated steel. The recommendation from the County Office of Ed's expert says that that is not adequate for rifle caliber rounds. Is that something that you're familiar with?

Thank you very much. Am I right? Is that, at this time, I believe we're gonna go into those who are proponents. Are you an expert, sir? Yes. Oh, forgive me.

Have you trained anybody from this gun club?

All right, so that this time, anybody who's a proponent of this item can now come forward and you can speak for three minutes. Is there anybody who would like to come and speak in favor? Proponent in favor of this item?

Someone else would like to come forward and speak in favor of item number one?

Thank you. Anyone else like to come forward and speak in favor of this item at this time? Come on down, as they say.

Thank you. Anyone else? Anyone online would like to speak in favor of this item?

All right, so at this time, the opposition to this Item can now come forward and speak.

Yes, we can. Go ahead, please. Okay, sorry about that.

is still present. Sir, you're over your time limit. Can you sir wrap it up real quickly?

All right, thank you again. Is there anyone else who would like to speak in opposition of item number one? You know, Mr. Hagum, I do have a question Yeah, it goes back to the statement you made about, and I'm sorry to make you come back down here. So you stated, correct me if I'm wrong, the pistol range only has a, the club only has a permit for pistols, is that correct?

Interesting. Is staff aware of that? The club is permitted?

All right. Is there anyone else online who wants to speak? Okay. So now we're going to bring it back for rebuttal from the applicant or their representative.

But you would agree that the rocks, and I think you did, sir, it needs to be fixed. The burn itself needs to be fixed. The burn itself needs to be fixed. It has to have the rocks and it has to have some some type of, they're recommending 24 inches of some type of soil, silted soil so it'll absorb the bullet?

You seem to be the only one asking questions today, people. No, I'm good. Thank you.

Rebuttals over. We're good. Okay. I'm going to close the hearing and bring it back to the commission to discuss and make a decision.

I heard on one end, and I don't know who the question is for, but I'll go through the chair. I heard somebody talk about the guidelines of the NRA, but I also heard guidelines from the national. Is national the same as the NRA, or are there federal national guidelines for this? No, I think that who brought the national ones was the school district.

I'll go through you if, yeah, you want him to answer it?

Yeah, we'll get your interpretation, then we'll get the interpretation from the county office.

Did you have a question? I do. I'm trying to understand. So there are no federal standards for for any type of gun ranges in the United States, such as the Sportsman Club? Yeah, are there local ordinances? Do they?

There's no federal standards on how a gun range should be operated?

So did you dispute the claim that you should have one range officer per five shooters ratio?

Yeah, I'd like to hear from him as well.

He's still on. Hello, can you hear me? We can now.

That's not how I interpreted that. Go ahead.

See, I've been trying to really look at this to be fair to the gun range, but most of all, keep the safety of our kids number one. So if there was a national standard, then that would make it easier than for me. You know, I've been to the school. I know exactly what it's like out there and everything else. So that was where I was coming from in terms of that. Now, I'm going to put the who came first to rest, because I'm 75 years old, guys, and I can tell you that the rifles in the 1960s are not the same as the rifles in the 2000s. So a lot of things have happened. So whatever was determined in

Would you be willing to accept some of the expert recommendations from the county?

Well, we'll take the rifle range. They'll develop, publish, and enforce policies related to the safe operation of the rifle range, including one to five range safety officers to shooter ratio.

Okay. But you've heard... Two of the commissioners already brought up the safety, safety, which I believe you all are all for the same thing. The sir who spoke, he takes his sons to the range. So obviously safety's, I think, on all of our minds. And how do we make it so it's the safest it can be? And for me, the hardest part, I do believe in the Second Amendment, too. Believe it or not, I've asked a lot of questions where you're wondering if I've ever held a gun in my life. I have. I don't want accidents to happen, and I think we should take the most, and I know it's gonna cost money, and I'm

And if I could, In listening to everything, you know, I was listening to what this person would be doing, and I heard that, you know, if they're doing something wrong, they're called right there and whatever. And in my vision, it's 130 feet and 14 ranges. So I do agree 100% that one person, if all of those were open would not be enough.

So the way I understand it is that you are in agreement of repairing the impact burn. That you are in agreement with the one to five and in the policies and procedures. Now where I'm still is I you know I mean I The whole, I don't understand the blue sky very well, so that makes me uncomfortable in making a decision. And of course the difference of the AR-500 and AR-400. I'm...

Correct me if I'm wrong, the AR-500 is a thicker piece of steel which would help deflection-wise?

Yes. It would help in the deflection of a bullet, correct? It's a harder metal. Okay, it's not necessarily a thicker metal. It's a harder metal, the way it's forged or whatever. So I'm sorry, like Commissioner Rose, I see that we're We're halfway there.

No, but and then could you explain, you know, the blue sky, no blue sky overhead baffles should be installed for a permanent long-term solution. Can you explain what that means again so we could understand?

Let me ask a question through the chair, but this one's for staff. Has the county approved any other rifle ranges in San Joaquin County? I'm sorry.

Yeah, and the reason I'm asking that is because if there was a pre-existing rifle before 1960, that's been many years. So I'm almost looking at this as this is the first time the Planning Commission is really putting a standard in terms of rifle ranges in San Joaquin County. So With that, I have to make a decision, I want you to have it, I really do, but I wanna make a decision understanding that if 20 others came up tomorrow, I can sleep at night, because I've been there, and that is, you know, and there's a lot of kids there, and by the way, they do field trips there. It's not just the kids

Okay. I will grant it. Hopefully, Jason. Hello, can you hear me? Yes, go ahead, Jason. Tell us about no blue sky.

Yeah, it's just no matter how we go, it just seems like all of the, I believe there's four recommendations from the expert from the county makes it where I can live with it.

Okay, thank you. Can I bring it back to the commission? Comments? All right, so it's up to a commissioner to make a motion to accept the item as presented or you may make, I hope I'm saying this right, Council, you may amend the item. Is that correct?

I would make a motion that we amend to include the recommendations by the expert report that the County Office of Ed Commission I'm a little nervous on that three to five year solution, but if he thinks it's fair. Okay.

Yeah, that makes sense. No more than five years.

Basically, it would be the recommendations of staff, but we amend it to include the recommendations of the report by the expert from County Office of Ed. So that means that use, let me go back, use of the safety canopies as a short-term solution not to exceed five years until a new blue sky baffle system can be installed using 3 1⁄8 inch AR500 plates instead of the AR400. develop, publish, and enforce policies related to the safe operation of the rifle range and make it two, I mean, make it the ratio of the one to five in terms of the range officer. I think I got them all. Oh, and repair the b

All right. We shall move on to item number two. And just for the record, in case you'd like to appeal this decision, you have until August 17th at 5 PM. You guys want to take five minutes?

OK, we're in adjournment for five minutes. If, oh, we're waiting. If everyone could take their seats, we'll proceed to item number two.

Thank you. Any questions for staff? No. All right, so at this time, the proponent or the applicant may come forward and speak not to exceed 20 minutes.

The items in purple, which was greater than 40, they're being farmed right now?

So... The sites that are... From Highway 12 down to Mr. Marino's line in green, those aren't being farmed?

Oh, they're grapes? Yeah, they're grapes. Okay.

So the one that's got the line already has a house on it, right?

I have a question. How many ADUs can be built in one parcel? Just one?

But the intent was to make it three, five acres with a house on each. Is that right?

That means that if there was three parcels, there would be the potential of three homes and three ADUs. Okay.

Anybody else? Okay, so thank you, sir. Nice visual. So at this time, is there anyone else who'd like to speak in favor of this item, item number two. Anybody online? Okay, so we'll move along if anyone here wants to speak in opposition to item number two.

Thank you. Anyone else who'd like to speak in opposition? Okay, close the hearing and we will bring it back to the commissioners. You know what? Stop. We didn't close it. Do you want to rebut?

So now I'm gonna bring it back to the commission for discussion and decision.

Unfortunately, I'm sorry, but I agree with staff. I don't have the expertise of staffs, but if it's not consistent with the general plan, that's my role as a planning commissioner is see if it's consistent or not.

I second it. Yep, I hear you. Any further discussion? Okay, I'm going to call for the vote.

And you do have the right to appeal. What did I say? I've got to find my cheat notes here. You have until August 17th at 5 p.m. to appeal. this decision, and then it'll go to the board for them to make a decision. All right. That are the two items that are on the agenda tonight. So we'll now go to Planning Commissioner's comments, or other business, I'm sorry. Any other business? None? No? OK. Planning Commissioner's comments. Director's report.

It's back to me. Anybody else? All right. Well, then this meeting's adjourned.