Friday, Jan. 02, 2009

City of Ceres readies for next growth spurt

CERES -- The economic slump is giving this city time to plan for its next stage of growth.

Ceres is developing plans for annexing 960 acres in the Crows Landing Road area, a move that would extend the city's western boundary from the Union Pacific tracks just west of Morgan Road to Ustick Road.

The area on both sides of Crows Landing Road, between Whitmore Avenue and Service Road, includes Stanislaus County offices, warehouses, farmland and a transportation corridor with potential for job creation.

The county has not objected to the annexation plan, and property owners have funded the preliminary studies and are looking for a developer, officials said.

In early December, the City Council approved a conceptual plan balancing as many as 3,650 homes with 4,500 jobs. The employment would be driven by shopping areas, business parks, office buildings and expanded government offices.

Right now, there is more need for jobs than homes in a county with record foreclosures and a 12.4 percent unemployment rate.

"There is an entire strip along Crows Landing and Service roads reserved for job creation," said Rebecca Gorton, an associate planner with a land use consulting firm working with the city. "As far as when the development occurs, it depends on when the economy bounces back."

Officials said there is some development interest in a 34-acre commercial center at the southwest corner of Crows Landing and Whitmore. Planners envision a center with wholesale club stores, factory outlets, food and drug stores and retail shops.

Other commercial outlets could emerge on the west side of Crows Landing Road, giving the area 942,000 square feet of commercial space and potentially creating 1,600 jobs.

The city is exploring options for industrial development. A business park scenario could include research and development facilities, light manufacturing, warehousing and distribution to create 1,780 jobs. Another option is an industrial park with light assembly and fabricating plants, contractors' yards and offices, motor vehicle repair, hardware stores and lumber yards. That could create 1,150 jobs.

More than 900 people could work in office parks in the area.

Residential areas planned

The plan would put the residential areas in the western portion of the annexation. The housing would include single-family homes, small-lot homes, cottages, town houses and apartments. Two school sites and 70 acres of parks and open space also are planned for the area.

Barry Siebe, Ceres planning manager, said the city is working on details of providing public services to west Ceres. Private development would pay for streets, drainage and other public facilities.

The Ceres Police Department would take over law enforcement from the Sheriff's Department, and fire protection would become the city's responsibility.

The city also needs to work out details of providing water and sewer hookups to the cluster of rural homes along Carol Lane. City officials are talking with Carol Lane residents about cushioning the neighborhood against city encroachment, Siebe said.

City leaders are hoping the west Ceres area can be included in the Ceres Unified School District. But that might not sit well with Modesto City Schools, whose boundaries include the area between Crows Landing and Ustick roads.

Ceres Superintendent Walt Hanline said his district has a mutual support agreement with the city and is better able to serve the area.

Because of its declining enrollment, officials are concerned Modesto City Schools may not wish to build the two elementary schools planned for the area. As a result, Ceres Unified could receive numerous requests for student transfers to Ceres schools, officials said.

Hanline said that area landowners would have to request annexation to the Ceres school district. One issue is that Modesto City Schools would lose out on state funding for the west Ceres students.

"If both districts support it, then it is an easy process," Hanline said of the boundary change. "If there is disagreement, there is a local school boundary organizational board that considers the request."

Boundaries a prickly issue

Steven Grenbeaux, president of the Modesto City Schools Board of Education, said the board hasn't discussed the west Ceres issue. "I doubt we would be agreeable at this time (to changing the school district boundaries)," he said. "We are a declining enrollment school district so it would probably not fly with us."

Siebe said the city is talking with county officials to ensure there are no conflicts with plans to expand county facilities in the Crows Landing Road area. As far as the county is concerned, it makes sense for the west Ceres area to develop under the city's jurisdiction, said county Chief Executive Officer Rick Robinson.

Consultants are working on an environmental impact report and the city could give final approvals to the annexation in a year or two. The entire area could take 15 to 20 years to develop.

Bee staff writer Ken Carlson can be reached at kcarlson@modbee.com or 578-2321.