Supporters ask Stanislaus officials to spare business threatened by highway. What was decided
Supporters of the Rodin Farm Fruit Stand in Riverbank urged Stanislaus County supervisors to preserve the beloved business that’s threatened by a huge highway project.
Anna Wooten said her kids beg her to stop at the roadside stand at the southwest corner of Claribel and Oakdale roads, which is a popular attraction for families.
“If it would close, it would be a tremendous loss for the community,” said Wooten, whose daughter, Mikaella, also spoke in glowing terms about the fruit stand.
Tuesday evening, county supervisors considered one of the most sensitive property acquisitions for the North County Corridor expressway.
The county says it needs 5 acres from the produce stand business, almond orchard and adjacent properties for a turn lane to route traffic south on Oakdale Road for a quarter mile. From there, a first phase of the expressway will cut across farmland to Claus Road.
Giving up the land will require Rodin Farm to pull dozens of almond trees and move the fruit stand building farther from Claribel Road and deeper onto the orchard property.
Since negotiations began in December 2022, the county and the Rodin family haven’t agreed on price and compensation for what the owners estimate is $900,000 in relocation expenses.
After hearing comments from adults and children supporting Rodin Farm, supervisors gave approval to exercise eminent domain and initiate the condemnation process. But county officials said the action will allow for negotiations to settle the different issues. County staff members will try to meet with Rodin family members next week.
Tyler Kelly, an attorney representing the business, had asked the county to postpone the eminent domain process and hold discussions with the family after the holidays. That would allow the family to obtain an independent appraisal.
Supervisor Buck Condit asked county staff if the decision could be postponed.
“The decision needs to be made,” Public Works Director David Leamon said. “We are running out of time.”
Speakers told the board that larger stores like Costco and Target can’t beat the charm of the country fruit stand. And the business has proven to be an invaluable asset for the county, said Todd Aaronson, chief executive officer of Visit Modesto.
Aaronson said thousands of people on the almond blossom cruise visit the farm. He added the business convinced a tour bus company to redraw its routes to include Stanislaus County.
“You are impacting a local business, dozens of workers and an incredible farm family,” Aaronson said. “I strongly suggest you reconsider this decision in the best interest of the public good.”
Andrew Genasci said his children have enjoyed running through the almond trees and playing in the pumpkin patch in October. He urged the county to make the business whole.
“This is more than just a small business,” Genasci said. “It’s a multigenerational farm family trying to make their way the best they can.”
Travis Johnson of Oakdale, an auctioneer, said the Rodins always are good for providing a gift basket for fundraisers and purchasing three or four animals at the county fair livestock auction. “There will be a lot of things that suffer if this business does not continue on,” Johnson said.
Supervisor Vito Chiesa said there’s a way to move the fruit stand and build the cross-county highway to improve traffic circulation. “There is not one person up here who wants to see Rodin Farm disappear,” Chiesa said.
The North County Corridor is an 18-mile expressway to bypass east-west traffic around Modesto, Riverbank and Oakdale and connect the eastern portion of Stanislaus County to Highway 99. The county is responsible for acquiring right of way along the route. Almost 60 parcels are affected, including 13 likely to require full acquisition.
Project partners including the county, Modesto, Riverbank, Oakdale and Caltrans are working on a 3-mile section between Oakdale Road and Claus Road.
This story was originally published December 20, 2023 at 5:07 PM.
