What Lodi Looks Like Before An Enterprise Zone
The Lodi News-Sentinel discusses some of the harsh realities of economic development in the San Joaquin Valley.
Nearly every morning, Chip Herman hoses off pools of urine and human feces from the side of his auto detailing shop on South Cherokee Lane.
No matter how hard he tries, however, the longtime Lodi businessman can’t rinse away the root cause of his frustrations: the widespread access to alcohol on the Eastside corridor.
There are roughly 30 places you can buy a drink on Cherokee Lane, from the restaurants and bars to the liquor, grocery and convenience stores.
As the article mentions later, Lodi is part of San Joaquin Valley’s new Enterprise Zone application which includes the City of Stockton as well.
City leaders, including new Mayor JoAnne Mounce, and those who work or live near Cherokee Lane do want changes. They want closer scrutiny of liquor license applications, and a spruced up avenue that serves as a gateway to the city.
The corridor, now a busy but hardly picturesque collection of motels, gas stations and retail shops, is the first place many see when entering Lodi.
“People get a bad impression — they think the whole town is like that,” said Sunil Yadav, owner of the Modern Motor Lodge on South Cherokee, and a member of the Lodi Improvement Committee.
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Upcoming plans would also allow for taller hotels and offices on the strip. (The city limit would jump from two stories to four). City leaders also want to include Cherokee Lane in the county’s Enterprise Zone, which would make businesses eligible for numerous low-cost loans and tax rebates.
It’s quite an extensive article and worth reading for those interested in what is at stake for California communities waiting to hear about the fate of their Enterprise Zone applications.
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