Ceres Is Open for Business

Ceres is growing, and with growth comes great responsibility: making sure our city remains open for business while also following the proper planning process.

When a new business wants to open in Ceres, there is a process. That process begins with a business application. The city also offers an opportunity to meet in advance to determine whether the location where you want to open your business is properly zoned. This helps prevent a situation where someone signs a lease and later finds out their business is not permitted. That can be a painful and costly mistake.

An applicant submits their project to the City of Ceres Planning Division and Community Development Department. Staff reviews the application, studies whether the project meets zoning requirements, checks the General Plan, evaluates the site plan, and prepares a recommendation. If the project requires Planning Commission approval, then it moves forward to a public hearing.

With that being said, let’s talk about who approves these projects.

The Planning Commission has five voting members. The commissioners are appointed by the Mayor and City Council. This is important because Planning Commissioners are not elected, and they perform duties separate from the City Council.

According to the City of Ceres, the Planning Commission considers land use matters such as zone changes, conditional use permits, variances, subdivisions, and general plan amendments. The Municipal Code also says the Planning Commission’s duties include holding hearings on zoning matters, conducting hearings required by law, reporting decisions and recommendations in writing to the City Council, and helping guide the future growth and development of the city.

In simple terms, Planning Commissioners are there to review the facts, listen to staff, listen to the applicant, hear from the public, ask questions, and make an informed decision based on the law, the zoning code, and the General Plan.

The City Council sets the larger vision for the city. The City Council adopts policies, approves the General Plan, adopts zoning laws, and gives direction on the future of Ceres.

The Planning Commission’s job is different. Their job is to apply those rules to the projects in front of them.

Having an opinion does not prevent a commissioner from doing the job they were appointed to do. Asking questions is part of the process. Reviewing concerns is part of the process. But adding extra steps just to reach a preferred outcome is not good government.

If a project meets the requirements, then the question should be simple: does it comply with the General Plan, zoning code, and required findings? That is the responsibility of the Planning Commission.

At the April 6, 2026 Planning Commission meeting, the discussion around the Quick Quack Car Wash project became bigger than one business. It raised a larger question about whether Ceres is truly open for business, or whether applicants will be forced into unnecessary delays even after they follow the rules.

This came from one lone Planning Commissioner who, in my opinion on this subject, created unnecessary tension with the applicant and made an attempt to pass the buck to the City Council by making statements that undermined the City of Ceres’ direction.

We are not a monopoly, and we cannot tell businesses that we are open for business, just not your business. A repeat business, such as another car wash that is a permitted use, should not be treated differently simply because of personal opinion.

City Attorney explained that the commission could only legally deny a project based on technical requirements, not general opposition to a specific type of project. Once again, this shows that a commissioner may have an opinion, but if that opinion is not based on actual factual findings, then the city could be opened up to litigation, and that can have unintended consequences.

Another Commissioner made a comment that the commission’s job is to determine whether everything aligns with the General Plan and zoning laws. I could not agree more. That is an important point.

If the City Council wants to create a moratorium or adopt a new policy on car washes, that is a City Council policy discussion, not the opinion of one commissioner. But unless that policy exists, the Planning Commission should not treat one applicant differently as if a new rule already exists.

Imagine if this project had stalled once again. The City Council would have had to clean up after a bad decision. Over 15 jobs would have been lost, along with revenue from the build, and property tax.

If a commissioner believes Ceres should limit the number of car washes, then the proper action is to recommend that the City Council consider a future policy discussion. But until the City Council adopts that policy, the Planning Commission should judge each project based on the rules that exist today.

There is a reason this has not been done. Ceres is the third-largest city in the county, and we are moving toward an economic and development boom. While I will admit that inflation is kicking us in the rear, that does not mean we stop opening the doors for businesses, large or small, or create policies that will hurt us in the long run.

Creating a monopoly and being selective based on opinion, not policy, is irresponsible and dangerous.

Lets be clear to all those who plan on building in Ceres: we are open for business.