Requirements to address traffic issues — especially along Airport Way — and the refusal of the potential developer to pay for the costs has terminated efforts to build 3.3 million square feet of distribution center space on 237 acres on the southwest corner of Louise Avenue and Airport Way.
A story appeared in Thursday’s Bulletin regarding the environment impact report completed in January of 2020 and not January of 2021. It left the impression the project is still viable. It is not.
There were a number significant traffic impacts the project would create that were outlined in the EIR that the city wanted the Oakland-based development firm of Exeter Property to address.
The city rebuffed efforts by the developer to allow the project to proceed without addressing the identified traffic issues. Manteca also declined to reduce fees connected with the endeavor, especially for traffic.
The developer decided the project as they envisioned would not pencil out. The proposed sale to Exeter was dropped in December.
The land is still has an entitled project to build 760 homes and 310 apartments. The approval on that map is good through January 2026.
Villa Ticino West was originally approved in 2004. By the time the project was in a position to move forward the housing slowdown occurred. A new tentative map was submitted in July 2014. Tweaks were made to the original map including dropping asset aside of land specifically for a fire station given the station on Lathrop Road by Del Webb at Woodbridge had been built. The developer of the project was released from the fire station land obligation in exchange for contributing $300,000 to go toward building the Woodard Avenue and Atherton Drive fire station once the Villa Ticino West project started moving forward to construction. That led to the tentative map being approved in July 2015.
Exeter expressed interest in the land as a possible business park just over two years ago.
As things stand now, the 1,070 dwelling units can still be built as long as work starts before the map’s approval lapses in 2026 or unless the approval is extended.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantcabulletin.com
