A deal designed to allow Manteca to recover $48,554 for weed abatement and removing trash on  3.67 acres on North Union Road where a chemical reformulation and repackaging business was once located will now cost the city $250,000 to honor.

That’s because the deal involved the city removing 17,000 cubic feet of dirt in exchange for wiping out the lien the city had placed against the property. The city planned to truck the dirt about a quarter of a mile away for use on the new converging diamond interchange at Union Road and the 120 Bypass. In doing so the city would save additional money from not having to buy dirt that would need to be hauled a greater distance. The only stipulation was that the dirt had to meet specific standards of being considered clean.

The dirt met the standards but it still wasn’t clean enough for Caltrans.

The City Council when they meet tonight at 7 o’clock under conditions that require the public to observe the meeting remotely due to the pandemic will consider amending the contract with Nur Al-Huda Academy and release the faith-based school from the lien.

Interim City Manager Miranda Lutzow noted Manteca will benefit from amending the contract and releasing the lien:

*The city will not have to spend $250,000 moving the dirt to another location.

*The school project will move forward.

*In doing so it will eliminate illegal homeless encampments that are a source of continuing health and safety issues for neighbors whose homes back up to the site.

*The project also will mean a traffic signal will be installed at Union Road and Mission Ridge Drive that will help to improve traffic safety.

The liens were for costs the city incurred over the years abating weeds and removing trash that had been illegally dumped on the property creating a fire hazard. The property had been for sale for 16 years with no takers until 2017 when Nur Al-Huda Academy stepped up.

Nur Al-Huda Academy plans to build a school for seventh through 12th graders on the 3.67 acres at 1058 South Union Road.

The private academy is being designed for a maximum of 240 students with a teacher-student ratio between 1 to 25 and 1 to 30.

It will include a two-story, 29,420-square-foot building with classrooms, resource centers, and prayer rooms; a one-story 5,436 square-foot administration building; and a 12,8690-square-foot multipurpose building for athletic activities and school assemblies. There will be outside athletic facilities and 128 parking stalls.

The entrance driveway will be to the north of the Mission Ridge Drive/Union Road intersection. The exit driveway will tie into the intersection that will include a traffic signal.

School hours for students would be 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Hours for staff would be 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The academy will start with 100 to 150 students but can accommodate up to 240 students.  Initially eight certificated teachers would be hired along with three classified staff, a counselor, and an administrator.

The three buildings will have a stucco exterior painted in earth tones. They will have metal roofs. A 20-square-foot monument sign will be placed along Union Road.

How to view City Council

meeting & submit comments

The meeting will be available for public viewing on the City’s website at.ci.manteca.ca.us under city clerk and on Comcast Channel 97.

Members of the public that wish to submit public comments may do so in advance of the meeting, no later than 4 p.m. today. Public comment will be limited to 250 words and every effort will be made by staff to read these comments into the record. Comments that exceed 250 words will not be read into the record and will be made a part of the official record on file with the City Clerk. Comments received after the 4 p.m. deadline will not be read into the record and will be made a part of the official record on file.

Public Comment may be submitted by emailing mayorcouncilclerk@ci.manteca.ca.us or hand delivering to door drop slot at the Office of the City Clerk, 1001 W. Center St., Ste. B, Manteca.

For written public comments indicate in the subject line the agenda item number or if the item is related to general public comment.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com