By KIM VAN METER
Special To The Leader
As promised, the wheels are turning to provide future access to Stearns Road with the acquisition of property that will enable roadway improvements to D Street as part of the Tesoro 2 Single-Family Residential Subdivision agreement.
Oakdale City Council members voted Monday, May 6 to move forward with the $225,000 purchase, which will be shouldered by the developer but will enable the start of road improvements.
The Oakdale Planning Commission approved the tentative subdivision map for Tesoro 2 at the March 6 meeting amid a firestorm of concerns and opposition from concerned residents of Tesoro 1 who felt the developer, Richard DePonte, hadn’t fulfilled his original obligation to the city regarding D Street and feared a repeat failure.
To prevent such a failure, city officials included language in the new agreement stating no occupancy could occur in Tesoro 2 before the D Street extension was complete.
While residents of Stearns Road were relieved to hear this requirement, some residents of D Street were vocal in their opposition, stating they would return to the council with a petition against the expansion and if council went ahead with the expansion it would mean they weren’t listening.
Councilman Christopher Smith was sympathetic to concerns, however, added, “If we’re going to put more houses here, they’ve got to have more access than just Stearns Road, that’s just a simple fact … My house that I grew up in Los Angeles is now a highway. It does happen. My house is the second lane of Highway 10 right now. We had to move. It happens. But I don’t think extending D Street is as bad as the alternate which is no houses, no future growth, no retail, no future exit for the people that live up there … but I understand your concerns.”
Tesoro Homes, Inc. will be financially responsible for acquiring right-of-way and installing all necessary improvements to D Street, as a requirement of the Tesoro 2 Subdivision.
As proposed, the Tesoro 2 Subdivision consists of the development of 79 large lot single-family residential units, a storm drainage basin, and park located within the adopted East F Street Corridor Specific Plan, and immediately west of the existing Tesoro Subdivision located on North Stearns Road.
