O’Con Is New Planning Commission Chair
May 19, 2026 09:25PM ● By Idaly Valencia, photos by Idaly Valencia
Outgoing Chair Juan Fernandez, left, passes the gavel to newly appointed Chair Oscar O’Con, right, at the May 7 Planning Commission meeting.
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ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - At its May 7
meeting, the Planning Commission
appointed Oscar O’Con as chair and
Varinder Singh as vice chair following a nearly four-month break in
meetings.
The commission, which last met Jan. 15, reconvened to review two items: a conditional use permit for the Old Town Courtyard event venue and adoption of the city’s Climate Compass sustainability initiative into the General Plan.
The first public hearing focused on a conditional use permit for the Old Town Courtyard, located at 9120 Elk Grove Blvd. behind HomeGrown Inc. Microgreens and Farmer’s Market in Old Town Elk Grove.
The courtyard sits adjacent to a two-story commercial building on the property. A secondary one-story structure, previously used as a salon and spa in 2011, has since been converted into the current event venue. Approval of the permit allows the courtyard to host weddings, birthday parties, meetings and other special events with up to 60 guests.
City staff said the property owner submitted the application after receiving a code enforcement complaint in October 2025 regarding loud music and events being hosted without a permit.
The permit also allows amplified music during scheduled events generally held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and occasionally from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Live bands will not be permitted under the approval.
During public comment, Monica Tucker spoke on behalf of applicant and local business owner Lynette Wall, saying the venue provides a unique community gathering space for intimate events and wellness-focused activities such as yoga sessions in Old Town.
“…as a community member, when I first went to her place, I feel in love with it; I feel in love with the area and thought, ‘This is amazing for Elk Grove,” Tucker said.
Commissioners unanimously approved the permit before moving on to a presentation about the city’s Climate Compass initiative.
Carrie Whitlock, the city’s strategic planning and innovation program manager, said the document presented at the meeting was the finalized version of the initial draft first introduced to the commission in August 2025.
Staff recommended adoption of the finalized “Climate Compass: A Plan for Implementing Elk Grove’s Climate, Sustainability and Resilience Goals” document, which Whitlock said “provides a roadmap for the city to achieve state recommended targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions…”
Whitlock said the initiative also outlines strategies for adapting to climate change while meeting sustainability and weather resilience goals. The final document was developed through community and stakeholder input, she said, which will help with the continued shaping of future greenhouse gas reduction efforts.
Major components of the plan include reducing energy consumption in buildings, lowering transportation emissions, decreasing exposure to extreme heat and mitigating the “urban heat island effect.”
The initiative also focuses on promoting a circular economy (reduce, reuse and recycle approach to resources), supporting green businesses and maintaining community outreach through education and public communication efforts.
Commissioner Sandra Poole asked Whitlock whether actions at the federal level could impact implementation of the Climate Compass initiative. Whitlock said it remains unclear because several state lawsuits challenging federal actions are still pending.
“It’s very difficult to say which way things will play out at the moment,” Whitlock said. “Right now, we are still assuming that any of those state actions are in place because we don’t know that they are going to be different.”
Outgoing Chair Juan Fernandez, who presided over his final meeting as chair, also asked about the city’s plans to address the urban heat island effect. Whitlock said several strategies included in the Climate Compass are backed by a Caltrans grant awarded to the city last year.
Those efforts include a “heat-resilient transportation system implementation plan” focused on cooling transportation corridors such as sidewalks, roadways, bus stops, parking lots and trails. She said the city plans to begin implementing cooling measures by next June through cool pavements, roofs and walls, as well as additional tree shading.
Fernandez also asked about the timeline for transitioning police and city fleet vehicles to zero-emission models. Whitlock said the transition remains ongoing, with nine city vehicles converted so far and additional vehicles expected to transition each year.
During public comment, Eugene Lee, who said he represents the city on the Sacramento Environmental Commission (SEC), voiced support for adopting the Climate Compass. Lee referred to the initiative as the city’s “local navigator” for meeting environmental sustainability benchmarks.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to adopt the Climate Compass into the city’s General Plan.
The commission, which last met Jan. 15, reconvened to review two items: a conditional use permit for the Old Town Courtyard event venue and adoption of the city’s Climate Compass sustainability initiative into the General Plan.
The first public hearing focused on a conditional use permit for the Old Town Courtyard, located at 9120 Elk Grove Blvd. behind HomeGrown Inc. Microgreens and Farmer’s Market in Old Town Elk Grove.
The courtyard sits adjacent to a two-story commercial building on the property. A secondary one-story structure, previously used as a salon and spa in 2011, has since been converted into the current event venue. Approval of the permit allows the courtyard to host weddings, birthday parties, meetings and other special events with up to 60 guests.
City staff said the property owner submitted the application after receiving a code enforcement complaint in October 2025 regarding loud music and events being hosted without a permit.
The permit also allows amplified music during scheduled events generally held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and occasionally from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Live bands will not be permitted under the approval.
During public comment, Monica Tucker spoke on behalf of applicant and local business owner Lynette Wall, saying the venue provides a unique community gathering space for intimate events and wellness-focused activities such as yoga sessions in Old Town.
“…as a community member, when I first went to her place, I feel in love with it; I feel in love with the area and thought, ‘This is amazing for Elk Grove,” Tucker said.
Commissioners unanimously approved the permit before moving on to a presentation about the city’s Climate Compass initiative.
Carrie Whitlock, the city’s strategic planning and innovation program manager, said the document presented at the meeting was the finalized version of the initial draft first introduced to the commission in August 2025.
Staff recommended adoption of the finalized “Climate Compass: A Plan for Implementing Elk Grove’s Climate, Sustainability and Resilience Goals” document, which Whitlock said “provides a roadmap for the city to achieve state recommended targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions…”
Whitlock said the initiative also outlines strategies for adapting to climate change while meeting sustainability and weather resilience goals. The final document was developed through community and stakeholder input, she said, which will help with the continued shaping of future greenhouse gas reduction efforts.
Major components of the plan include reducing energy consumption in buildings, lowering transportation emissions, decreasing exposure to extreme heat and mitigating the “urban heat island effect.”
The initiative also focuses on promoting a circular economy (reduce, reuse and recycle approach to resources), supporting green businesses and maintaining community outreach through education and public communication efforts.
Commissioner Sandra Poole asked Whitlock whether actions at the federal level could impact implementation of the Climate Compass initiative. Whitlock said it remains unclear because several state lawsuits challenging federal actions are still pending.
“It’s very difficult to say which way things will play out at the moment,” Whitlock said. “Right now, we are still assuming that any of those state actions are in place because we don’t know that they are going to be different.”
Outgoing Chair Juan Fernandez, who presided over his final meeting as chair, also asked about the city’s plans to address the urban heat island effect. Whitlock said several strategies included in the Climate Compass are backed by a Caltrans grant awarded to the city last year.
Those efforts include a “heat-resilient transportation system implementation plan” focused on cooling transportation corridors such as sidewalks, roadways, bus stops, parking lots and trails. She said the city plans to begin implementing cooling measures by next June through cool pavements, roofs and walls, as well as additional tree shading.
Fernandez also asked about the timeline for transitioning police and city fleet vehicles to zero-emission models. Whitlock said the transition remains ongoing, with nine city vehicles converted so far and additional vehicles expected to transition each year.
During public comment, Eugene Lee, who said he represents the city on the Sacramento Environmental Commission (SEC), voiced support for adopting the Climate Compass. Lee referred to the initiative as the city’s “local navigator” for meeting environmental sustainability benchmarks.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to adopt the Climate Compass into the city’s General Plan.
