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Planning commission reviews Riverwalk plan, final EIR and recommended actions
Summary
The Riverbank Planning Commission heard staff and consultant presentations on the Riverwalk specific plan and the final environmental impact report, including the project's footprint (about 997 acres proposed for specific plan within a 1,522-acre sphere-of-influence area), infrastructure requirements and mitigation. The commission will forward a recommendation to the City Council after public testimony and deliberation.
The Riverbank Planning Commission convened a special public hearing to review the Riverwalk specific plan, a final environmental impact report (EIR), and related legislative actions including a requested general plan amendment, pre-zoning of about 997 acres and authorization to pursue a sphere-of-influence amendment and annexation to LAFCO.
Joshua Mann, the city’s community development director, told the commission the applicant controls roughly 769 acres that would be subject to the proposed development agreement. Mann summarized key infrastructure proposals documented in the final EIR: three new domestic wells, a 2,000,000-gallon water tank, pressure-regulating stations, a 12-inch transmission water main, and required wastewater backbone improvements including a south lift station and river crossing. He said an initial engineering review identified potential initial capacity for up to 225 dwelling units but that the number must be “verified through engineering studies” before additional units proceed.
EIR consultant Steve McMurtry said the document is comprehensive, spanning draft and final volumes and incorporating public comments received during an extended review period. He said the final EIR includes 43 mitigation measures and evaluates alternatives (including a no-project alternative and reduced-density scenarios). McMurtry noted the EIR discloses some significant and unavoidable impacts on topics such as farmland, water resources, traffic and air quality.
The presentations framed the commission’s decision: the planning staff recommended the commission evaluate the EIR record, public testimony and consistency with applicable criteria and then make a recommendation to the City Council, which is the final decision maker on certification of the EIR and entitlements.
