A lawyer for Delicato Vineyards has made clear his clients want to derail the city’s annexation of property that would bring tract homes within a mile of the 99 year-old winery.
And they’d be even closer to hundreds of acres of almonds, vineyards, and open fields where Delicato is using to dispose of wastewater from the winemaking process.
The disposal area is part of an area designated agricultural use on the general plan update the City Council adopted last month.
It is the same plan Delicato has launched a petition drive to try and force a referendum in a bid to have it overturned at the ballot box. Delicato has until the end of the month to collect enough valid signatures of registered Manteca voters to trigger an election.
Eventually, the water being disposed of will be from crushing 200,000 tons of grapes annually. That’s the maximum amount the winery can eventually crush based on state permits.
Attorney Steve Herm made the winery’s opposition clear in a letter that is part of the environmental review for the project.
The project will add 1,475 houses — 1,275 single family homes and 200 apartment units — along the north side of Union Road north of Del Webb at Woodbridge and Union Ranch.
The annexation would bring homes as far north of Lovelace Road on the west side of Union Road.
If the general plan update that is for a 20-year planning horizon through 2045 is rejected, City Attorney Dave Nefouse said the current general plan that is good through 2025 will still be in place.
As such, the annexation in question can still proceed under state law as long as it complies to the planning document.
The area in question had previously been identified for future annexation to the city as part of Manteca’s sphere of influence.
And it was noted as being for residential purposes.
All 1,475 housing units would be within a half-mile of the Lathrop Road and Highway 99 interchange. At an average yield of 3.2 people per unit between the single family homes and apartments at buildout the five projects may add 4,720 residents to Manteca’s population.
There are now roughly 6,500 housing units either entitled, with a preliminary map, or in initial review that have yet to be built in Manteca. If they are all built they would add roughly 22,860 residents. Add the proposed two projects now at the EIR stage and altogether the housing in the entitlement pipeline could add 27,580 people to Manteca that currently has about 90,000 residents.
The two projects that are in north Manteca would add more traffic to the Union Road corridor as well as the Frontage Road that ties into Crestwood Avenue at Lathrop Road just west of the interchange and the Main Street corridor.
They will also require a new road to connect Union Road with Frontage Road that likely will connect with Lovelace Road or possibly Roth Road.
Students are likely to attend East Union High as the bulk of Manteca’s present growth is in the south sending new 9th through 12th grade students to Manteca and Sierra high schools.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
