Jake Parks stepped down from the Ripon City Council in early December.
The two-term elected leader was proud of part of the economic growth in town during his time in office. Included was the North Pointe Specific Plan, a 310-acre mixed-use development in the northern section of town bounded by the Mistlin Sports Park to the north, Highway 99 to the south, Fulton Avenue to the east and Jake Tone Road to the west.
This project received approval from Council about five years ago.
“Staff and everyone did a good job (on NPSP),” Councilman and current Vice Mayor Dean Uecker said back then. “I hope all of our citizens will be happy with the project.”
Annexed in 2000, this area of Ripon features the 80-acre Mistlin Sports Park – the recreational center piece of the project – and, prior to development, was underutilized and undeveloped land, consisting of agricultural land, trucking facilities, highway service commercial uses, and storage facilities.
The project called for converting this into “a mix of neighborhood and regional serving commercial, technology, office, recreation, entertainment and residential uses,” according to NPSP.
The area has a variety of single family residential for different density housing development. Many are homes for start-up families or seniors looking to stay in town.
In recent years, several subdivisions including Cornerstone II, The Vineyards and Ripon Gardens II, to name a few, are among the residential project that are nearly built out.
Ripon Gardens II – included are a 110-unit of apartments on about 6 ½ acres, and 3.5 acres of Neighborhood Commercial – was initially zoned for commercial use but was rezoned.
Developers such as JKB Living worked with the City in modifying the land use to allow for the construction of the Ripon Luxe Apartments and the contemporary architectural Ripon Terrazza Shopping Center, in turn, paving the way for John Surla’s Fina restaurant, Austin’s Coffee Crafters, Primos Restaurant & Tequila Bar, The Vine House Wine Bar & Bistro, Terrazza Market, and, recently, Klean Eatz Market & Bakery.
North Pointe also features plazas, Paseo and trails, boulevards, pedestrian parks, wider streets – including some with pavers – and roundabouts.
Future plans for this area call for an adjacent six-lane regional expressway and a planned four-lane minor arterial, according to Planning Director Ken Zuidervaart.
Public safety has been main concern for residents of the area. They recently voiced their concerns twice – to the Ripon Planning Commission and Ripon City Council – this past year on denying plans to build a convenience market / gas station at the corner of River Road and North Ripon Road adjacent to the Ripon Terrazza Shopping Center, featuring a four-way stop roundabout.
“The roundabout is unsafe and needs to be fixed before they can add a gas station,” said resident Lex Cornell at the November Council meeting.
He didn’t see a gas station as being complementary to the existing businesses.
“A service station is not something to put next to a Fina restaurant,” said Cornell, who suggested perhaps a dry cleaner or medical / dental offices.
Council moved to deny, without prejudice, the gas station project, in turn, giving the developer the right to come back and work with staff on a new project for that area.
