The developers of CenterPoint where 5.11 Tactical, Amazon and Penske Logistics (Lowe’s Home Improvement) distribution centers are located entered into an agreement years back to make sure an access road was in place to avoid a proposed truck yard from dumping another 1,000 plus truck trips per day onto Airport Way.
When the developer tried to back out of the agreement nearby resident at Del Webb at Woodbridge collected 1,152 signatures in June/July 2019 and then a second petition in August 2021 with 1,687 signatures against CenterPoint from reneging on the deal by allowing the truck yard to be built before the connection to Roth Road was completed.
Without the connection the only access to the truck road would be from Airport Way between Lathrop Road and Daisywood Drive.
CenterPoint had run into issues with Union Pacific whose land they had to cross to extend the so-called spine road. They wanted to proceed by being allowed to “temporarily” dump truck traffic onto Airport Way near the western entrance to Del Webb while they worked out details with the railroad.
The City Council responded by determining if the connection to the spine road wasn’t made to avoid sending traffic down Airport that they would restrict hours of operations to address noise concerns. CenterPoint contended such a restriction would make it next to impossible to market the proposed project.
The road issue is back before the City Council on Tuesday, Feb. 1, with a third amendment to a development agreement regarding the road.
That isn’t generating a lot of trust among Del Webb residents.
Bill Barnhardt, one of the leaders of the Del Webb group trying to prevent more truck traffic to be added to Airport Way when the city and developer promised it wouldn’t happen by connecting with the existing spine road to Roth Road, noted the fact the public won’t be privy to the language until several days before the council will be asked to make a decision on the amendment.
Adding to their concerns are recent improvements CenterPoint made to Airport Way south of Daisywood Drive to accommodate the construction of additional business park structures south of Crothall Laundry.
Barnhardt said Del Webb residents were led to believe a median would be placed in such a manner to prevent trucks from accessing the existing 153-space truck parking yard as well as the proposed 468-space truck parking yard from Airport Way which is not currently a legal truck route.
On top of that there are concerns proposed 280,983 square-foot beverage distribution center in the CenterPoint project anticipated to have 251 parking stalls, 40 truck docks, 56 trailer stalls, and three truck bays also will have a negative impact on Airport Way traffic.
Barnhardt called language in the public notice “wishy washy” noting is simply states “. . . CenterPoint agrees to construct the extension of Intermodal Way in a timely manner agreed to both parties”. That is a reference to CenterPoint and the City of Manteca.
The council meets Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
