A trail system that could stretch from downtown Manteca to a point two miles east of Escalon is part of the proposed 1,650-home Trails of Manteca development being pursed south of Oakwood Lake.
The trails would meander through 75 acres of linear parks, 1,178 single family homes, past 192 townhouses, and 280 apartments. It will ultimately connect with Manteca’s separated bike paths that encompass more than six miles so far when the Tidewater, Spreckels Avenue, Atherton Drive, Van Ryn Avenue, Wellington Avenue and Del Webb at Woodbridge segments are added together.
Manteca’s municipal bike trail system being built by the private sector as development occurs ultimately will have more than 20 miles. It will essentially provide a loop around the city with the Tidewater serving as the backbone.
Residents will be able to access part of it near their neighborhoods to use the separated bike paths to reach shopping at The Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley, employment centers in the proposed Austin Road Business Park and the existing one in Spreckels Park, the library and downtown, various parks including Woodward Park as well as Big League Dreams. There are plans ultimately to connect the trail system with Ripon and Stockton.
Comment is being taken on the draft environmental impact report for the Trails at Manteca project during Tuesday’s 7 p.m. Manteca Planning Commission meeting at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St.
The Trails will also include a clubhouse for the use of residents.
The overall site consists of 477 acres bounded on both the north and west by Woodward Avenue vacant land to the east, and vacant land as well as the “dry” cross levee to the south.
The cross- levee will be widened and strengthened as part of the project. It serves as a back-up levee should the San Joaquin or Stanislaus Rivers break through levees as had happened 11 times since 1929. The most recent levee failure was in 1997. The cross-levee has been tested several times. In 1997 state emergency officials worried the levee would fail putting it on 24 hour inspection while covering the top with plastic.
It is considered a dry levee since water does not exist on either side. The levee ultimately will be extended farther to the east toward Airport Way due to concern that development in the rural areas has changed flooding patterns.
Two separate projects being advanced along with the Trails of Manteca will add 2,439 housing units between McKinley Avenue south of the Highway 120 Bypass and a slough that drains into the San Joaquin River.
They are:
•Machado Estates with 575 lots is located on the southwest corner of Airport Way and Woodward Avenue. The environmental impact report has been certified. The land hasn’t been annexed yet to Manteca.
•Terra Ranch near McKinley Avenue and the Highway 120 Bypass. It features 193 lots that will be developed by Anderson Homes and a 200-unit apartment complex being pursued by AKF Development.
Terra Ranch in all likelihood will be the first of the three to break ground as it is near existing infrastructure – sewer and water lines.
It is ironic that the southwest section of Manteca is where the next housing boom could be shaping up. Just outside of the city limits in a finger of the county, the 480-home Oakwood Shores is the Mother of All residential foreclosures in San Joaquin County. The 480-lot project that rose from the rubble of Oakwood Lake Resort and Manteca Waterslides was boasted as a lake front gated community with luxury homes pushing $1 million each.
Only half dozen homes are occupied with a number more empty. Most of the project is un-built save roads and street lights.
Southwest Manteca is where Manteca’s much touted Tara Business Park – complete with an employment center, town square, and retail. The concept is to have jobs, and amenities within walking distance of housing. The Terra Ranch project with its homes and apartments is a component of the Tara Business Park plan.
