By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Apartment proposal lacks bus turnout for serving 103 students
Placeholder Image

Elementary students that would live with their families at the proposed 144-unit Manteca Luxury Apartments on Lathrop Road west of Union Road would be bused some six miles to French Camp School.
And based on existing Manteca Unified student yield factors based on housing types, the six three-story buildings backing up to Del Webb at Woodbridge could generate 103 students. The area north of Lathrop Road and west of Union Road is part of the French Camp School attendance area.
“That’s enough for two busloads of  students,” noted Manteca Unified Superintendent Jason Messer.
Messer said while staff is still reviewing the impacts of the apartment and the district’s formal position after Manteca Unified got the Manteca Planning Commission to postpone discussing the project as they weren’t properly notified,  it is clear there needs to be a  turnout for school buses.
Lathrop Road  is a heavily traveled road with traffic moving at 45 mph plus. There are also a number of trucks using the road.
The project as presented has no turnout for buses of any type including Manteca Transit. While there is a short driveway leading to the gated entrance it would be extremely problematic for a school bus to use that and then turn around within the complex.
The sole entrance to the proposed complex is roughly midway between Madison Grove Avenue and Union Road. While a bike path that connects with the Tidewater Bikeway and eventually will connect with another bike path along the city’s western edge to eventually cross under the 120 Bypass at McKinley Avenue runs directly behind the apartment complex and the southern edge of the Del Webb neighborhood, there are no plans to provide direct access to it for apartment residents even though that could provide a safer route for residents to access the city’s separated bicycle path system.
Current housing yield shows a typical single family home in Manteca Unified generates 0.489 students, a multiple family unit such as a duplex generates 0.680 students and an apartment unit generates 0.717 students.
The project consists of 144 apartment units on 5.55 acres in six, three-story buildings totaling 125,712 square feet, a two-story community center consisting of 8,998 square feet that also will accommodate a fitness center and rental office, as well as a swimming pool. There will be 72 one-bedroom units consisting of 740 square feet each and 72 two-bedroom units consisting of 1,006 square feet each. Each of the six buildings will have 12 one-bedroom units and 12 two-bedroom units.
The plan calls for 144 covered parking stalls and 180 uncovered parking stalls. They also have the option to add solar panels to the buildings, constructing solar carports and adding electric car charging as well.
The community center and fitness building and swimming pool will be at the front of the site near West Lathrop Road. A six-foot wrought iron fence will run along the front of the parcel with an 8-foot block wall with a decorative cap along the remaining three sides of the 5.55 acres.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulltin.com