Riverbank’s huge growth plan up for vote

Riverbank’s grand growth vision, including doubling the city’s population in 20 years or so, could hinge on a hearing Wednesday before a growth-guiding panel.

The same panel – the Stanislaus Local Agency Formation Commission – also will consider Modesto’s request to extend a water line beyond the city limit, allowing future BMW and Kia car dealerships on North McHenry Avenue.

Both should be approved, LAFCO staff will recommend to the commission, composed of representatives from Stanislaus County and some of its cities.

Riverbank, now 2,663 acres, wants to add 80 percent to its footprint by expanding its sphere of influence 1,479 acres, for a total of 4,850 acres. A sphere of influence indicates land that a city might annex in the next two decades.

Hoping to avoid controversy encountered by others, Riverbank leaders recently adopted a farmland preservation policy, requiring permanent preservation elsewhere in the county of an acre of farmland for each sacrificed as Riverbank develops. Its City Council also has talked about having residents vote to establish an urban limit to the west of Coffee Road, with the goal of leaving alone farmland west of that area.

Modesto, still annoyed at traffic demands generated by Riverbank’s bustling Crossroads shopping center, seeks “assurances that those mistakes do not happen in the future.” In a letter to LAFCO, Modesto Mayor Ted Brandvold, Councilman Bill Zoslocki and City Manager Jim Holgersson also complained that Riverbank’s intent is unclear regarding its proposed “area of concern” between Modesto and Riverbank.

That’s a little-used land designation encouraged by LAFCO for places of potential conflict and, if approved, would provide Riverbank with formal notification if another agency considers a potential project there.

In a response letter, Riverbank City Manager Jill Anderson blamed increased traffic on “both local development and regional growth.” She noted that Riverbank widened Oakdale Road to four lanes north of Claribel Road and said an upgrade to the intersection of Claribel and Roselle Avene should begin in 2017.

County leaders have no objection to Riverbank’s plan.

Riverbank also wants to grow to the east, taking advantage of the future North County Corridor expressway to expand a business park at the former Army ammunition plant.

The city’s population – 23,485 – could grow to 49,834 if expansion proceeds.

Riverbank has 120 buildable acres within its current limit, plus 363 more acres in its current sphere of influence, but none currently would accommodate stores.

Modesto’s BMW dealer wants to move from its home on McHenry just south of Bangs Avenue to 4761 McHenry, a bit south of Kiernan Avenue, and also plans to someday build a Kia dealership to the north of that spot. All would get water from Modesto even though the area hasn’t been annexed.

The plan includes extending Spryes Way north.

County and Modesto officials have agreed to share taxes in the North McHenry area, home to several car lots and other businesses, and county leaders signed off on BMW and Kia zoning earlier this month.

The LAFCO meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the basement chamber at Tenth Street Place, 1010 10th St., Modesto.

This story was originally published May 22, 2016 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Riverbank’s huge growth plan up for vote."