Riverbank dream of huge growth tabled amid Stanislaus LAFCO concerns

Not quite so fast, Riverbank.

That’s what a growth-guiding panel on Wednesday told city officials hoping to extend Riverbank’s footprint 80 percent and double its population in 20 years.

“This really is a pretty huge expansion, a little more than I’m willing to go,” said Jim DeMartini, a Stanislaus County supervisor. His opinion was shared by other members of the Stanislaus Local Agency Formation Commission, which rules when cities plan to grow.

The commission left open a door, however, for Riverbank to return July 27 and ask again. That would give Riverbank time to try mending fences with Modesto and with the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire District, and to think about seeking a little less growing action in the so-called City of Action.

Several speakers at Wednesday’s hearing said they were shocked that Riverbank, with 2,663 acres, sought permission to broaden its sphere of influence – or potential growth area in the next couple of decades – by 1,479 acres, for a total of 4,850 acres.

“This will encourage urban sprawl, which you’re supposed to discourage,” said Allen Gammon, who lives near Riverbank and whose wife, Annabel, is an alternate or nonvoting commissioner.

About 40 residents of rural Crawford Road, west of Riverbank, signed a petition asking for assurances that Riverbank’s growth vision would not send more vehicles through their neighborhood.

Denny Jackman, a longtime controlled-growth advocate and former Modesto councilman, said Riverbank’s plan hasn’t received enough public scrutiny. It’s “mind-boggling,” he said, that the city wants to add stores and thousands more residents when “we haven’t recovered from the problems Crossroads (shopping center) caused when it was initially built.”

Modesto leaders for years have criticized Riverbank for not doing enough to address traffic problems generated by drivers shopping at Crossroads, which Riverbank hopes will expand to the west side of Oakdale Road.

“The process failed us last time. I’d like not to see that happen again,” said Brad Hawn, a former Modesto councilman who now represents the public as a LAFCO commissioner.

Modesto officials additionally said Riverbank’s environmental analysis is inadequate because it was done seven years ago and much has changed since then. Modesto also is wary of Riverbank’s request to label land between the cities as an “area of concern.”

Others praised Riverbank for pursuing an orderly approach to growth. Other cities in recent years have sought permission for sphere of influence expansion and annexation at the same time.

“Annexation will not happen overnight,” Riverbank Mayor Richard O’Brien said. “To control (our) destiny is what the city of Riverbank wants.”

O’Brien said in-depth environmental studies would accompany annexation requests. That made sense to county Supervisor Terry Withrow, but his motion specified that Riverbank must try working things out with Modesto and Consolidated Fire, which is concerned about having enough money to provide fire protection for more people and stores.

Joining Withrow in the unanimous vote were commissioners Amy Bublak, a Turlock councilwoman; Waterford Mayor Mike Van Winkle; Hawn; and DeMartini.

LAFCO’s July 27 meeting will start at 6 p.m. in the basement chamber at Tenth Street Place, 1010 10th St., Modesto.

This story was originally published May 26, 2016 at 8:32 AM with the headline "Riverbank dream of huge growth tabled amid Stanislaus LAFCO concerns."