Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Company attorney asks West Side to keep an open mind about proposal

By CHRISTINA SALERNO
csalerno@modbee.com

last updated: August 14, 2007 07:31:31 AM

PATTERSON -- Residents with lingering questions about developer Gerry Kamilos' plan for the former Crows Landing Naval Air Station quizzed him directly Monday night at the first of several neighborhood meetings being held about the project.

About 20 people showed up at the meeting at Patterson Senior Center, fewer than the nearly 40 residents who had registered to attend.

Kamilos' firm, PCCP West Park, is holding meetings throughout Stanislaus County to gather public input on its plans to transform the old air station into a 4,560-acre inland port and industrial center linked by rail to the Port of Oakland.

Attorney Cathy Flores Hallinan of Modesto opened the discussion with a presentation about the details of the project, stressing the 37,000 jobs that the developers estimate will be generated by the industrial park.

Those jobs, she said, will help put an end to long commutes for Stanislaus County residents and lessen the number of latchkey kids who are home after school when their parents are working or driving home.

"I see a lot of misery brought on by financial hardship. Try to keep an open mind tonight to see how the vision for this project will bring many changes in the economic situation in our county," Hallinan said.

She said a Crows Landing inland port could become the next major stop on a "Northern California logistical triangle," made up of the Ports of Oakland, Stockton and Sacramento.

During an hourlong question-and-answer session, Patterson resident Marvin Stewart, who commutes to the Bay Area for his job as an engineer, pressed the developers for information about what type of employment they expect to bring to the region.

"What types of jobs? What pay ranges? Are these industrial jobs? I'm an engineer. I want to know if there is opportunity for me here," Stewart said.

Kamilos said the project won't be the "typical Central Valley industrial park focused on distribution," but rather a diverse mix of employers offering job opportunities ranging from blue collar to white collar. That could include everything from technical positions to aircraft repair jobs, he said.

"If we settle for warehouse and distribution jobs, we have failed," Kamilos said.

Other residents wanted reassurances that the jobs would pay well enough to keep up with mortgage payments and the cost of living on the West Side.

"Do you realize that the people who bought their houses here with Bay Area wages have to earn a certain amount of money to make it? Can you guarantee these jobs will pay equal wages?" asked Barbara Hartsell.

While nobody could make that guarantee, Kamilos responded that wages are likely to increase over time as more economic growth is spurred in Stanislaus County. Dozens of commuters have indicated they would be willing to give up 10 percent to 15 percent of their salaries so they could work closer to home, Kamilos said.

Many of the other concerns raised by residents centered on the increase in train and truck traffic, as well as the project's impact on West Side roads and Highway 33. Farmland was also at the forefront of the discussion.

"You are altering the whole look of the West Side," said Patterson resident Chris Nunnemaker. "That brings 37,000 people who aren't here now on a daily basis. The freight sitting at the yard -- you are taking prime agricultural land out of usage to do that. … How do you offset that much farmland and say it is a boon for agriculture? Those seem to be somewhat dubious plans."

Representatives from West Park said they are still examining the best ways to route truck traffic, including a new interchange off Interstate 5 and expanding Highway 33 to four lanes. With rising labor and fuel costs, Kamilos said, the rail line would provide an economic way for farmers to transport their goods.

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