Keystone Ranch wins reconsideration of project in lawsuit against Patterson
The city of Patterson will need to reconsider the Keystone Ranch development project after a final order by Stanislaus County Superior Court on June 26.
The order states that though the court understands the city must meet its pumping reduction plan to decrease water usage, it will need to use reports it had from its planning department at the time – all of which said the development would work.
Keystone Ranch is a proposed development that would include around 700 single-family and multifamily homes and a park on 95 acres in an area west of Highway 33.
A main issue of contention was a closed-session meeting April 1, 2025, where City Council members and staff approved a “vesting tentative map,” which essentially locks in zoning for the region. The decision saddled the Keystone Ranch project with the cost of developing a $20 million recharge facility in order to move forward.
The closed meeting did not include representatives from Keystone Ranch, though the court found they would be considered an interested party.
The court determined that requiring the recharge facility was in effect a denial of the project that did not follow due process according to the Housing Accountability Act.
Patterson had attempted to contest a tentative ruling made on Feb. 20, but was unsuccessful.
The original complaint was split into two phases. This court decision addressed only the administrative section of the Keystone Ranch complaint. A separate trial will take place to address whether the city acted in bad faith when denying the request.
The city has 90 days from the date of the ruling to reconsider its decision on the vesting tentative map in compliance with the Housing Accountability Act.
The mayor of Patterson declined to comment and the city attorney did not respond to a request for comment about the ruling.
