City of Galt briefs school board on surge of housing permits and retail plans
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Summary
City staff told the Galt Joint Union Elementary board that 2025 produced the district's highest single-year count of new residential permits (~237 as of Dec. 1), reviewed major projects (Dry Creek Oaks, Liberty Ranch, Dry Creek West) and outlined a 45-acre commercial center that includes potential tenants such as Grocery Outlet and others.
City of Galt staff gave the school board a detailed briefing on residential and commercial projects in and around Galt and what those projects could mean for the district. Amy Mendez, the city’s assistant city manager, and Kristen Bitts, principal planner, presented maps and a pipeline review showing that many projects have been years in development and that 2025 is a peak year for permit activity.
Kristen Bitts said the district had projected issuing 236 housing permits for 2025 and had already exceeded that projection, reporting about 237 permits as of Dec. 1. She walked the board through major projects by name and type: Dry Creek Oaks (a senior community with about 206 single-family dwellings), Parlin Oaks (small-lot single family and duplexes with a proposed future 80-unit apartment), Greenwood Cottages (Lennar small-lot product), Morrell Estates (50-unit subdivision), Elliott Ranch, Liberty Ranch (phased build-out of roughly 1,500 homes over 7–10 years) and Dry Creek West (a mixed-use site with about 160 single-family row homes and senior triplex rentals). Bitts emphasized that many projects were approved years ago and that multiple builders bringing inventory to market at once explains the current concentration of activity.
Amy Mendez also outlined commercial efforts intended to grow sales tax revenue for the city, including a 45-acre commercial center proposed near the C Street interchange with prospective tenants under review (Maverik is an applicant for part of the site) and Grocery Outlet’s planned move into the former Rite Aid building. Mendez said those retail prospects and improved visibility for new housing will strengthen the city’s pitch to prospective tenants.
Board members asked whether new homes represent net in-migration or local moves; Bitts replied it is a mix, with some buyers relocating from Lodi and Elk Grove and some moves within Galt. The presentation was intended as background for district planning — for example, enrollment forecasts and facilities planning — but staff warned that builder sentiment for 2026 is weaker and that forecasts show wide ranges.
Next steps: city staff provided maps and will appear again if the board requests further demographic or site-specific analysis for school planning.