Riverbank would grow to McHenry under plan for 2,400 homes. Not so fast, critics say
Riverbank has released a plan for about 2,400 homes, along with businesses and parks, on farmland to the west of town.
The idea has drawn protests from farming advocates, who say this expanse is about as good as it gets for growing crops.
And a Modesto official said Riverbank’s plan is “a significant deviation from established plans for this area.” The bigger city is just starting to update its general plan, the main guide for growth.
The 993-acre project would stretch from Riverbank’s current northwest corner to McHenry Avenue on the west. Patterson Road runs along the south edge of the plan area. The Stanislaus River is at the north.
The plan would bring a roughly 30% increase in the number of homes in Riverbank, over perhaps a decade. It now has about 25,000 residents.
The city proposes to annex the land on behalf of numerous parcel owners. Approval of specific land uses could take a year or two, said Donna Kenney, planning and building manager for Riverbank, in an email.
Another 529 acres, just to the south and west, would be reserved for future development decisions. This area has long frontages on McHenry and Patterson. A 150-acre solar plant is in the southwest corner.
The 993 acres are called River Walk. The city has just launched the environmental study on the plan, including a Zoom meeting held Thursday, June 17.
The landowners want to create a mix of housing densities suited to young families, seniors and other residents, consultant Steve McMurtry said at the meeting. He is a principal planner for De Novo Planning Group, based in El Dorado Hills.
Details on homes, shops, parks
The plan includes:
- 1,550 low-density homes, up to eight per acre, on a total of 366 acres
- 702 medium-density homes, up to 16 per acre, on a total of 54 acres
- 180 high-density homes, averaging 18 per acre, on a total of 10 acres
- 71 acres of “mixed use,” including retail, services and housing close to each other
- 60 acres of open space along the bluff overlooking the river, which would have habitat protections and trails
- 44 acres of parkland in other spots.
Part of River Walk would be for residents 55 and older. They could find services close by and get around on electric golf carts charged on site, McMurtry said.
The public has until July 5 to comment on what the environmental study should cover. The city will then release a draft report for further comment, followed by a final report. The project would go to the Riverbank Planning Commission, followed by the City Council.
The final step is approval by the county Local Agency Formation Commission. It oversees annexations by cities and considers farmland loss as one of the factors.
‘Top tier of quality soils’
Farmland advocates have long urged protection for the project area. It provides a buffer between cities while supporting the region’s huge food processing industry.
“The land proposed for urbanization is at the top tier of quality soils in the world, and with available water,” said an email from Denny Jackman, a leader with the Farmland Working Group.
The plan area includes almond, walnut and cherry orchards along with fallow land. Farmland advocates said the soil is especially well suited to groundwater recharge through irrigation.
Jackman, a former Modesto city councilman, said Riverbank already has plenty of vacant land with lesser soil where it could expand.
This is known as a “sphere of influence,” areas that are not yet in a city but could be annexed at some point. Riverbank’s are mostly near its current western and eastern borders.
Much of the recent growth has happened near the Crossroads shopping center at the south end of town. Another phase just got under way.
Riverbank has a modest amount of downtown housing, but a plan approved in 2015 outlined how the core might be revived. Just to the west is a vacant cannery site where a walkable mix of homes and businesses was suggested.
Modesto watches from south
The Riverbank annexation emerges just as Modesto is starting work on an update of its general plan. Among the many issues is how far it should stretch into the farmland to the north.
In an email, Deputy City Manager Caluha Barnes said Modesto has just begun reviewing Riverbank’s proposed growth and does not yet have a position on how the area should be used.
“That said, we acknowledge that the proposed area is a significant deviation from established plans for this area,” she said. “We expect to better understand the potential impact after we have completed our review.”
Comments on the River Walk Specific Plan can be emailed to dkenney@riverbank.org or mailed to Donna Kenney, City of Riverbank, 6707 Third St., Riverbank, CA 95367.
This story was originally published June 20, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
