The concept Copper Trails has been in the works for over two decades but the next phase of development in Ceres took a step closer to reality on Monday with Ceres Planning Commission approval.
Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve the Environmental Impact Report and amendments to the General Plan to not only develop approximately 535 acres in southwest Ceres but also bring in a 146-acre county pocket north of Service Road into the city.
The next step is for the Ceres City Council to approve and order the Copper Trails Master Plan area to be annexed to the city by the Stanislaus County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO).
The lead proponent of the project is landowner Nav Athwal but many other property owners are involved, many who voiced their support on Monday.
With the exception of the county pocket north of Service Road, the proposed annexation area is bordered by Service Road at the north, the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, Highway 99 and Mitchell Road to the east, the TID Lower Lateral No. 2 canal to the south, and Blaker Road to the west. The project area encompasses Central Valley High School, Hanline Elementary School, and Hidahl Elementary School, along with rural homes and farmland.
At full buildout, Copper Trails could result in the development of approximately 2,392 dwelling units, nearly 1.2 million square feet of commercial uses, five park/open space sites and a trail network. A large regional shopping area is designated along the west side of Highway 99 between Service Road and E. Redwood Road.
The Copper Trails Specific Plan designates the development of:
• 988 single-family residential units on approximately 178 acres designated as low density residential;
• 338 single-family residential units on approximately 38 acres designated as medium density residential;
• 336 residential units on approximately 17 acres designated as medium-high density residential;
• 730 multi-family units on approximately 29 acres designated as high density residential;
• Nearly 1.2-million square feet of non-residential uses on approximately 107 acres designated as Regional Commercial;
• Five neighborhood parks and several greenbelt corridors on approximately 42 acres designated as parks and open space;
• Community facilities on approximately three acres.
The planned circulation system would add new roads and streets to serve new development areas. Land use attorney George Petrolakis said not only will Copper Trails have a robust trail network, it “presents a balance plan, which isn’t always the case in that it has housing, commercial and services, a nice circulation, and … the parks and open space. The big thing here is you’ve got balance between commercial land and residential land and that’s a big component, maybe the most unique component.”
“You’ll have a chance to capture more retail and quality commercial on this side of the freeway,” Petrolakis told the city. A larger tax base would result.
Several significant and unavoidable environmental impacts will result from implementation of Copper Trails. They include the loss of 319 acres of agricultural land, vehicle emissions and increased traffic. The project will result in traffic levels that would lead to excessive queuing at southbound off-ramp and northbound on-ramp at the Highway 99/Service Road interchange. The impact will be unavoidable until the city reconstructs the interchange whenever funding becomes available.
A city staff report to the commission notes that “the economic and social benefits of the project outweigh and override the significant unavoidable environmental effects that would result from the project.”
Commission Chairman Gary M. Condit expressed concern about impacts that will occur on Service Road, particularly if development occurs before the city has a chance to see the new freeway interchange take place. Service Road is planned for four lanes and the design work for the interchange is underway. Funding remains an unknown, said City Engineer Michael Beltran.
“Could we be constructing at the same time or could a development or two or three happen in the Copper Trails area or even more, before that interchange happens?” rhetorically asked Beltran, “Yes. Will we see an impact of traffic? Absolutely. And then as we move forward and the interchange comes to fruition, then those will start to ease. Growing is difficult. Growing is inconvenient and there will be some growing pains along with it.”
Dr. Kristi Britton, CUSD’s assistant superintendent of Business Services, cited how enrollment in Ceres elementary schools has been declining and that the district is “excited about what these residences will bring for the school district as well as the city.” Students would initially fill the Hanline Elementary School already constructed near Central Valley High School.
She did say CUSD remains concerned about current and future traffic congestion around Central Valley High School.
Most of those who spoke were in favor of Copper Trails. Harinder Toor, an owner of two parcels included in the project area, said he is excited about the project finally moving forward.
But there were some detractors. Ceres resident John Warren raised concerns about how Ceres would be able to keep up with providing police, fire and sewer service to a new area.
Judy Keyes said she is “100 percent against this.”
“Nobody bothered to ask me if I wanted to be a part of this,” said Keyes, who said she has plans to continue farming and has no plans to develop her property. “That’s wrong … you don’t own the property, you didn’t buy it, you haven’t paid the taxes on it, don’t maintain it. We do. It’s our property and you do not have the right to tell us what you’re going to do with our property. You need to work with us and you need to consider us.”
She also said enjoys raising beef cattle and row crops on her farm.
“I don’t want any more houses,” said Keyes. “I think there’s enough. I’m tired of the overgrowth. I’m tired of watching every ranch turned into a darn subdivision or a strip mall. We have enough. I think we need to better manage what we already have. Not to mention the crime that’s brought in in high density housing and everything else you guys are planning. I really like having my rural little area. That’s why we moved here.”
Local realtor Renee Ledbetter said it’s time for Copper Trails to come to fruition.
“We need housing in Ceres – it’s very crucial,” said Ledbetter. “We need commercial space. We need retail space. I get calls every day for office space in Ceres and I have none to show them so we definitely have a need for this project.”
Condit supported the project but expressed his frustration that City Manager Doug Dunford or Police Chief Trenton Johnson weren’t present to address concerns about growing the police department as Ceres grows.
“We’re adding 6,700 residents to Ceres, pushing our population just to about 55,000 people,” said Condit. “In the General Plan it does state a goal of having 1.3officers per 1,000 residents. This would require the Ceres Police Department to have about 72 to 73 officers. Right now, as I spoke to the chief on the 26th of February, we have 37 officers that’s deployable right now. We have on paper 47 allotted positions. So that is a concerning number. We need 72 peace officers to patrol our city with this growth and again, we have other projects in the works as well.”
Condit said Ceres “could manage growth in the short term, but long term staffing needs to match development, and if we want to keep the same level of service.” That was a quote he shared from Chief Johnson.
Condit also stated his hopes that the regional commercial zone will result in businesses which are lacking.
”We have a reputation for getting repeat businesses and I think Ceres residents deserve something unique, like a movie theater, a bowling, something that keeps them in our city.”
Vance Jones of the consultant team of Wood Rogers said development of Copper Trails is purely market driven and unpredictable as to timing.
Condit explained his support for the project, saying: “I think it’s an overall great project for the future of Ceres and I think that was relayed pretty well by the audience tonight. My biggest concerns is growing our police department to ensure these 6,700 residents of Ceres have the proper staffing and services, and also the commercial development. I want to see something unique to the city of Ceres, perhaps something that Modesto and Turlock doesn’t have, and I know that’s maybe hard to find, as they beat us to Chick-fil-A, beat us to this and that, but we need to be competitive when it comes to that, to give our residents something to enjoy in the city that they call home.”
Commissioners Dorie Perez, R.J. Jammu and Francisco Mireles joined Condit in voting in favor of Copper Trails. Newly appointed commissioner Bob Gobble was absent.
