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Old Kmart being primed for new uses
• Commission okay lot line adjustment
Kmart closed in Ceres
The Ceres Kmart store closed in late 2018 and has remained vacant despite city attempts to encourage new uses. Now it appears it will be marketed for possible multiple uses.

The Ceres Planning Commission approved a lot line adjustment on the former Kmart property on Hatch Road as developers proceed with plans for multiple uses.

Oryom Ventures, LLC, and Doya Ventures, LLC, sought to adjust a property line shared between two properties at 1351 E. Hatch Road and 1319 Herndon Road. The applicants have been working with the city since February to revitalize the abandoned Kmart building at 1351 E. Hatch Road, which has been vacant for five years.

The applicant and city have had several discussions over the past few months about the possibilities of acquiring multiple commercial users that could potentially occupy the site. Senior Planner James Michaels said he expects to present to the Planning Commission by Nov. 1 a tentative parcel map and a Conditional Use Permit entitlement for multiple commercial users on the site.

The lot line adjustment will help facilitate the closing of the acquisition of both properties by the applicant and the transfer of the parcel on which the Kmart building sits, to a third party user. Michaels said the property acquisition should close by Nov. 1.

The parcels will be refigured in a way to move the north-south line just west of the abandoned Kmart store zigzag through the parking lot so there are parcels on the north and south.

Ceres resident John Warren wondered about why the parcels were being split as they are and why the building appeared to have no parking. City Manager Tom Westbrook explained that the new parcels will be recorded with a reciprocal parking and access easement agreement.

“Everyone will have access to park on either property,” said Westbrook.

He said the owners will be submitting a development application soon.

The commission voted 4-0 to approve the lot line adjustment.