Delicato Vineyards has secured 7,249 signatures on its petition to force a referendum on the new general plan designed to direct growth for the next 20 years in Manteca.

City Clerk Cassandra Candini Tilton conformed the petitions were turned into her office on Monday.

They were scheduled to be forwarded to the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters Tuesday afternoon.

The Sacramento-based I Street  Public Affairs firm retained by Delicato Vineyards released on Tuesday results of a survey that 412 Manteca residents responded to as part of the outreach effort to voters during the signature drive.

The survey by FM Research took place July 30 thru Aug, 3 among likely voters using online and telephone interviews.

It was conducted in both English and Spanish

*66% of residents believe the city is growing too quickly, while 24% think the pace is right, and 8% feel it's too slow.

*53% of residents feel city officials are over-encouraging growth, in contrast to 12% who desire more growth, and 18% who believe the city council maintains a balanced approach.

*60% of residents oppose the general plan update, with 28% in favor and 11% undecided

“The type of response for a small city is unheard of,” noted Joshua Wood with the public affairs firm.

Typically, surveys — especially those that take 10 to 15 minutes to complete — have a difficult time getting  people to respond.

The city has conducted surveys like Delicato Vineyards commissioned in the past when they were pondering sales tax measures  15 years ago but they were done on a smaller scale and were also specifically  targeted  based on party affiliation, gender, age, and so forth that reflected the general community makeup.

The closest in response to the Delicato survey the city conducted was one the city commissioned regarding the park master plan back in 2018. There were 619 respondents. The survey, though, took less than 7 minutes and was not a hot button issue such as growth.

It was also collected over several weeks.

Wood also noted that the 7,249 signatures were collected in just two weeks or about half the 20 days allotted under state law.

The registrar’s office is now tasked with checking to make sure that 4,733 of those signatures are verified as registered voters that live within the city limits.

State law requires 10 percent of a jurisdiction’s registered voters to force referendums.

Typically, petitions for statewide ballot measures have 20 percent of the signatures thrown out.

It is why — based on the number of signatures gathered that is 53.1 percent above the 4,733 threshold — the petitions likely will end up triggering a citywide vote on the general plan during the March 5, 2024 primary election.

The verification process stops when  the registrar reaches the point the threshold has been met.

Unlike a recall election,  referendums — unless governing bodies call for a special election which is sustainably more costly  — are placed on the ballot at the next regularly scheduled election.

The bottom line for Delicato Vineyards, per se, is their desire to protect the continued viability of their winery.

An existing project already before the city will bring a number of 1,472 homes proposed to within a half mile of Delicato orchards, vineyards, and open land they have set aside for land disposal of winery wastewater.

Land disposal of agricultural  processing waste water — legal under state laws — can generate smells that urban residents often find objectional.

The city, for its part, contends the general plan passes state muster.

Delicato, though, believes it sets the stage for incompatible uses — housing and agriculture processing — to conflict.

Delicato’s general arguments against the general plan is that is allows to too much growth, will generate too much truck traffic, and will creates issues for schools among other things.

The new general plan was adopted in July by the Manteca  City Council.

The city, if there are adequate verified signatures, will hold the general plan in abeyance until the voters weigh in.

That’s said the previously existing general plan will remain in effect.

Delicato has also launched a website promoting their effort to overturn the general plan in March. It is at protectmanteca.com

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantexcabulletin.com