Modesto begins environmental review for proposed east-side Walmart

Modesto has started environmental review for a proposed Walmart Supercenter and related retail development near Oakdale Road and Claratina Avenue. Residents have until August 3, 2026, to comment on the environmental issues that should be studied.

The review is an early project stage, not a final approval or construction authorization. The City of Modesto Notice of Preparation was filed July 2, 2026, and the state and public review period began July 5.

What is proposed

The approximately 29.81-acre site is at 4000 Oakdale Road in the Tivoli Specific Plan area. The proposal includes a 181,128-square-foot Walmart Supercenter, a fuel station with 20 fueling positions, two future commercial outparcels and approximately 732 parking spaces.

The project also includes proposed site and off-site improvements. Those plans call for frontage work, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, drainage and utility improvements, and roundabouts at Oakdale Road and Claratina Avenue, Oakdale Road and Mable Avenue, and a future Claratina Avenue extension.

Those transportation and infrastructure features remain proposed. The environmental documents do not establish that the roundabouts, road extension or other improvements have been built or that they are guaranteed to proceed.

Why the environmental review matters

The city’s environmental review will examine how the project could affect transportation, air quality, drainage, water quality, noise, schools, utilities, agricultural resources, hazards and cumulative conditions. The state clearinghouse record also lists related areas such as biological resources, cultural resources, greenhouse-gas emissions, public services and growth-inducing effects.

For nearby residents and commuters, the traffic and circulation analysis will be an important part of the process because the project would add a large retail use and a fuel station along an east-side corridor that is also seeing broader planning activity. The review is intended to identify environmental questions and potential effects before later decisions are made.

The Notice of Preparation is not the final environmental impact report. It begins the scoping process, allowing public agencies, organizations and residents to identify topics they believe should receive analysis.

What approvals remain

Several discretionary approvals are still required before the project could move forward. The city’s filing lists certification of an environmental impact report, a Tivoli Specific Plan amendment, final development plan approval, tentative parcel map approval and conditional-use approval. Right-of-way dedications, improvement agreements and other permits may also be required.

That means the August 3 deadline is for environmental comments, not a final project approval vote. Future city agendas, staff reports and environmental documents should show when the proposal returns for additional planning or discretionary consideration.

How to follow the process

Residents who want to participate should review the official California CEQA environmental notice and the City’s Notice of Preparation for the comment process. Written comments must be received by the City of Modesto no later than August 3, 2026, and may be directed to the Community and Economic Development Department at 1010 Tenth Street, Modesto, CA 95354, or by email to Planning@modestogov.com.

Comments should focus on environmental issues that should be studied, such as traffic circulation, drainage, noise, air quality, utilities or cumulative impacts. The city’s Planning Commission agenda center can also help residents track future hearings and staff reports related to the proposal or the Tivoli Specific Plan.

The Modesto Bee’s reporting on Tivoli circulation planning provides additional background on Oakdale Road, Claratina Avenue and the broader growth area, but the official CEQA filings remain the primary sources for the project’s details, review timeline and required approvals.

Sources

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