The City of Ripon is working towards developing a new corporation yard.

Plans are already moving towards doing just that with LDA Partners preparing Phase 1 of the master plan.

Eric Wohle of LDA Partners, for starters, noted at February’s Ripon City Council meeting that the existing facility lacks the space for staff, operations or maintenance, and “does not meet current building codes.”

Phase 1 – a proposed 12,500 square foot public works building on a portion of a 10 acre partially developed lot next to the current CNG Refueling Station at 444 Doak Blvd. – would be a short-term solution.

According to the projection description: The building (would) contain three maintenance bays, office / conference rooms, locker rooms, common area and support spaces.

The site will not only be fenced in but would also consist of 42 visitor/employee parking spaces.

Plans for the exterior of the building, according to Wohle, calls for “an industrial look that still maintains civic pride.”

Cost for Phase 1 is estimated at about $7 million and should be able to accommodate the City’s need as the population builds out to 25,000. Phase 2 of the proposed Corporate Yard facility would be a full build out of 40,000 population in possibly another 20 years.

Phase 1 will rely on several funding sources – included are General Capital Fund, Parks Capital Fund, Water Enterprise Capital Fund, Sewer Enterprise Capital Fund, Garbage Enterprise Capital Fund, Storm Drain Enterprise Capital Fund and the Transit Fund – with Redevelopment Bond money taking care of the difference.

Elected leaders had already approved for LPA to complete Phase 1 design in preparation for bidding of the project for construction.

Next up for those plans is to go before the Ripon Planning Commission for a major site review at the April 19 meeting. Tthis month’s session was canceled.