City residents filled the Riverbank Community Center on Sept. 22 to share their views on the River Walk Project, roughly two miles west of downtown Riverbank. The project would cover some 1500 acres, bordered by Patterson Road, McHenry Avenue and the Stanislaus River, and could see construction of up to 2,500 homes, including some that would be age restricted.

Supporters of the project have highlighted various aspects including additional housing designed for active adults as well as electric vehicle routes throughout the development to lessen the carbon footprint within the River Walk Community. Developers have also included parks as well as a walking trail along the Stanislaus River designed to encourage residents to explore the natural beauty of their surroundings.

Though there were definitely some that expressed their support at the Sept. 22 specific plan public hearing, there were many more residents that expressed their disdain for the project. Most cited concerns over water accessibility, wastewater treatment, loss of fertile farmland, expenses associated with the development as well as the lack of proper infrastructure to support this development.

During the five-hour marathon meeting, the City Council heard from multiple residents as well as the Planning Commission in addition to the De Novo Planning Group, which shared pertinent information from the Environmental Impact Report. As the information sharing came to a close, the council members also outlined their thoughts regarding whether or not the project should move forward. Council members Luis Uribe, Stacy Call and John Pimentel voted in favor of moving forward with the project while Cindy Fosi and Rachel Hernandez voted against it. Uribe, Call and Pimentel shared that the development could bring additional revenue to the city while also providing additional housing as the population continues to grow within the City of Action. Fosi shared that she did not believe that the housing would be affordable for many of the residents that it is being marketed to, namely, older active adults. Hernandez shared concerns regarding whether or not the project would be sustainable as well as concerns over using the land that is now being farmed to create another housing development.

Approval by the council is just one step in the lengthy process; it still must go in front of LAFCO, the Stanislaus Local Agency Formation Commission, for review.

Also, with Measure M on the November ballot for Riverbank residents, that could also serve as a deterrent. Measure M was added to the ballot in response to the River Walk Project Proposal. Measure M would require voter approval for any City Council decision that allowed development on agricultural land west of the city limits. With the Planning Commission voting against the River Walk Project and the City Council voting in favor of it, Measure M could ultimately become one of the deciding factors in what has become a source of tension and controversy for the city.