QUESTIONS WE NEED ANSWERED REGARDING CHAMBERS PATHWAY TO GROWTH/ SPRAWL
By Joan Rutschow
QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED IN REGARDS TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE “PATHWAY TO JOB GROWTH” LAND
DESIGNATION AND DESTRUCTION OF PRIME FARMLAND PLAN
1. In the residential area east of McHenry – how many homes will be built?
2. Will any of these homes satisfy the RHNA low income housing mandate?
3. Does this development plan fit or match the designs of the City’s determination of a “sustainable city” under SB 375?
4. Will any “compact” housing be built in the “Kiernan” road area (which is designated for commercial development?
5. What commercial square footage would be built for any one building?
6. Will any commercial buildings allow manufacturing or industrial purposes?
7. What are all of the exact boundaries (street locations) of each of the proposed employment (business park) and residential areas?
8. Why hasn’t the proposed buildling of 553 residential homes (to include 182 low income units) been featured in the MAP provided in this presentation? This large project is known as “Woodglen” which would be bordered off Pelandale/Carver/Dale/Tully?
9. What has the Economic Development department, or others, done towards obtaining any future employer guarantees to relocate to Modesto (to substantiate that such commercial development will be reasonably filled)? How many business locations will be built? How large for each?
10. What are the water expectations (daily volume needed) for these large areas of commercial and residential development? Are you expecting that any of these sources will come from any of the two Del Rio Tank Wells project? Please answer both questions in detail.
11. Why do you think employers will want to relocate to the proposed Kiernan commercial areas when Modesto has a severe crime problems (gangs and realignment persons) with not enough officers on duty to serve 206,000 residents and with an additional proposed 11,000 low income housing units to be built for Modesto and another 5500 low income housing units to be built for the unincorporated areas)?
Do you think that these conditions, along with bad air quality, would be favorable conditions for successful businesses to have their best employees to relocate to Modesto?
12. Per the City and County’s LAND USE documents, no growth will go forward until sufficient public service levels exist for fire, police protection and water availability.
13. The AG ELEMENT of the General Plan is to protect prime farmland. Why is the Chamber of Commerce Plan proposing the destruction of prime farmland from Salida to Del Rio?
14. How many acres of prime farmland would be destroyed under this Chamber of Commerce Plan?
15. Is any part of the Chamber of Commerce Plan to be compliant with SB 375?
PARTICIPANTS IN A RECENT SURVEY WANTED YOU TO KNOW:
88% would NOT like to have a high-density (high-rise) low-income housing unit in their neighborhood.
80% think an increase in high-density (high-rise) low-income units will negatively impact your property values.
78% are concerned that 100,000* new residents would put their water supply at risk. *25,608 new low-income, high-density units as mandated by the County Board of Supervisors on 8/28/12, at 4 persons per unit.
By Joan Rutschow
Eye On Modesto 