Manteca city officials don’t like a proposed project that will add 32 homes along Woodward Avenue.

And without access of some type to Woodward Avenue, the 32 homes can’t be built.

The project, however, is not within the city limits.

It is squeezed on 6.32 acres on the north and west sides of Woodward Avenue where it goes into the first of two 90-degree curves as it heads west toward the Wetherbee Lake neighborhood and the Turtle Beach Resort that is along the San Joaquin River.

The San Joaquin County Planning Commission when they meet Thursday, March 6, at 6 p.m. in Stockton will consider both a general plan amendment and tentative subdivision map to allow the parcel now zoned commercial to be converted to residential use.

The new lots will almost all have a high value given they back up to a manmade lake in Oakwood Shores. Similar homes on the resale market have been selling for $1.1 million plus.

The area in question starts 775 feet west of Bella Lago  Way — the main entrance to the Oakwood Shores gated community. The project can’t be accessed from the entrance road due to a treatment facility between it and the roadway.

In an Oct. 3, 2024 letter, the city argued given the land is within the adopted sphere of influence of the city’s 2043 general plan and immediately adjacent to the city, it needs to annex to the city and submit to the  city its application for development.

Points the city made to support its annexation requirement include:

*The homes are immediately adjacent to city-owned infrastructure along Woodward Avenue and would provide water service connections.

*The existing portion of Oakwood Shores is serviced by the city under an agreement with the Oakwood Water District.

*Die to the project’s location being immediately adjacent to the city, it will benefit from other city services such as police and fire protection.

*Under state law there has been established consolidation/reorganization programs for both water and wastewater through the State Water Board.

*Annexation into the city is consistent with the San Joaquin Local Agency Formation Commission general standards for annexation and detachment.

*Woodward Avenue along the proposed project’s frontage is entirely within Manteca’s city limits.

*While development along the corridor is feasible, the access points to the proposed project to Woodward Avenue as shown on the submitted map being considered will not be allowed by the city.

Immediately to the south and east of the parcel in question across Woodward Avenue, the city has approved the 1,237 home Manteca Trails where infrastructure work has started.

The city — for public safety and smooth traffic flow — doesn’t want access points to the Oakwood Shores parcel that aren’t aligned with a street alignment that has already been approved or in locations that are less than optimum.

The project, as planned, would have two entrances that would connect with a street that would run parallel to Woodward Avenue. It would be separated by at least landscaping from Woodward Avenue. 

There are no homes backing up to Woodward Avenue or that would actually front Woodward Avenue.

The Oakwood Shores development was created in 2004 after the Oakwood Lake camp grounds and Manteca Waterslides closed.

The area in question that is now designated commercial likely will never develop as retail, especially since the city nixed proposed apartments complexes from the Manteca Trails out of concern it was a far from optimum area for high density housing.

 Oakwood Shores was originally approved for 480 homes.

The development lost 44 approved lots when levee modifications were needed.

The new lots will replace most, but not all, of the 44 lots that were lost to the levee work. As such, Oakwood Shores at build out even with the additional lots will not exceed the previously approved number of homes given only 469 could end up being built.

The county planning department has received 22 letters from existing Oakwood Shores homeowners objecting to the project.

Their concerns centered primarily on the impact of recreational facilities and the community clubhouse.

County planners noted the number of homes predicated on the approved recreational facilities will not be exceeded.

As for the community clubhouse, that is outside their legal purview.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabuletin.com