Modesto Walmart Proposal Moves Past Initial CEQA Review
The initial public review has ended for a proposed Walmart Supercenter and related commercial development on Modesto’s east side, but the project is not approved and cannot yet move into construction.
The City of Modesto served as the California Environmental Quality Act lead agency for the proposal at 4000 Oakdale Road, near Claratina Avenue. The CEQA public review period ran from July 5 through Aug. 3, 2026. The state record lists comments from the California Department of Conservation and the Native American Heritage Commission during that period.
The end of the comment period marks a step in the environmental review process. It does not represent a final decision on whether the city will approve, modify or reject the development.
What the project would build
The proposed development would occupy a 29.81-acre site identified in the CEQA filing as assessor parcel 083-003-018. The main building would be a 181,128-square-foot Walmart Supercenter.
The plan also includes a fuel station with 10 dispensers and 20 fueling positions. The station would have three underground storage tanks, each with a capacity of 20,000 gallons, along with a convenience store.
Two additional commercial outparcels are planned for future retail and restaurant uses. The overall development would include approximately 732 parking spaces, including spaces for electric-vehicle charging, accessible parking and online-order pickup.
A state filing estimates that the completed development would generate approximately 260 employees. The site was formerly agricultural land, and the proposal would convert the roughly 30-acre property to commercial use.
Environmental questions remain
Modesto’s notice says the city will prepare an environmental impact report. That report is expected to evaluate potential effects involving traffic, air quality, water quality, noise, schools, public services and greenhouse-gas emissions.
Those topics are especially relevant to a project combining a large retail store, fuel sales and additional future commercial uses. The environmental review is intended to examine how the proposed development could affect the surrounding area before the city considers its discretionary approvals.
The project requires a specific-plan amendment, a final development plan, a tentative parcel map and a conditional-use permit. The city has not certified a final environmental impact report or approved those required permits.
What happens next
The next known step is preparation and review of the environmental impact report. After that process, the project’s required city approvals would need to be considered.
The final design and construction timing have not been established. The current CEQA record therefore describes a proposal rather than an approved store, an active construction project or a development with a confirmed opening date.
For Modesto, the project’s eventual outcome could determine whether a large east-side site becomes a major retail and fueling center, along with space for two additional businesses. Before that decision, the city must complete the environmental review and act on the project’s requested land-use and development approvals.
Sources
- Modesto East Walmart Supercenter Project CEQA record, California Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation
- Notice of Preparation for Modesto East Walmart Supercenter Project, City of Modesto
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