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Council approves Murray Ranch annexation, restricts Hall Avenue access to emergency vehicles with conditions
Summary
The City Council approved annexation and pre‑zoning for the Murray Ranch subdivision (2,177 lots) and added conditions closing Hall Avenue to through traffic for construction, requiring speed humps and emergency‑vehicle access only, with a potential opening to Charter Way within four years if connection occurs; vote 7–0.
The Stockton City Council voted unanimously July 28 to approve the Murray Ranch annexation, pre‑zoning and related entitlements for a proposed 2,177-lot single-family residential development, after receiving a multi-part presentation from city planning staff and the project’s consultant.
Project representatives from Tim Lewis Communities described a 37‑acre infill proposal that includes mixed lot sizes, eight acres of open space and preservation of 14 heritage oak trees. The applicant described options for Hall Avenue access after neighborhood feedback, ultimately offering a condition that would keep Hall Avenue closed to general vehicular and construction traffic, permit emergency-vehicle access only (bollard or narrow opening), add speed humps on Hall Avenue, and allow the avenue to open to through traffic within a four‑year window if the northern Charter Way connection is established.
Neighbors contended that Hall Avenue was never intended to handle through traffic and asked the council to require a physical barrier or a permanent closure. Council members discussed traffic analysis, CEQA applicability, encroachment and county jurisdiction for Hall Avenue (a county pocket). Planning staff said the project is consistent with the city's 2040 General Plan and that an operational traffic analysis accompanied the submittal. The council approved the project with the applicant’s amended condition (EVA only, speed humps, potential Charter Way opening within four years) and directed staff to reflect the around‑the‑bench memo language in final conditions; the motion carried 7–0.
Council and staff noted follow-up items including a supplemental local transportation analysis to confirm whether signalization is warranted at Juliet/Mariposa and to estimate proportional fair-share costs if needed, and LAFCO steps to pursue annexation.
