Delicato Vineyards has thrown down the gauntlet.

They are pushing for Manteca voters to have the chance to weigh in on whether the just adopted general plan update that will serve as a blueprint for municipal growth through 2045 should stand.

Manteca resident Elda James on Thursday formally submitted legal paper work required to allow the circulation of a petition calling for a referendum on the general plan update in regards to housing versus zoning for other purposes such as business parks.

City Attorney Dave Nefouse has 10 days under state law to approve the referendum for circulation.

After that, there will be a 30-day period in which a specific amount of signatures of registered city voters must be gathered and then verified in order to force an election.

City Clerk Cassandra Candini-Tilton indicated she is in the process of working with county election officials to determine what the law requires for such a petition in regards to the needed signatures of verified registered voters.

The threshold typically ranges from 5 to 20 percent based on the subject of the petition being circulated.

The city will be required to use the most recent registered voter count at the time the petition is cleared for circulation.

The City of Manteca had 46,116 registered voters as of May 22, 2022.

Given growth in the past 15 months that could mean the minimum requirement could be as high as 2,500 registered voters the threshold is 5 percent.

The general plan update in terms of envisioned housing growth is basically the same for all-practical purposes as the plan that went into effect in 1995.

It is a plan that allowed Indelicato  family members Robert and Leslie Indelicato to sell a 40-acre almond orchard along Airport Way in North Manteca immediately north of Del Webb to Kiper Homes for the purpose of building 170 homes.

Those homes will be in close proximity to an existing cheese processing factory that the city has worked in recent years to try to get back into production to generate more jobs.

The land — just like that near the winery — is not currently within the city. It is, however, in the sphere of influence that identifies land likely to come into the city. Such land has tentative zoning assigned to it in the general plan’s land use section,

The crux of the Delicato Vineyards position on the just adopted general plan is that it allows land use that could threaten the viability of the winery.

Indelicato representatives at various general plan meetings have shared concerns that future residents of home development that the plan would allow within  certain proximity of the winery could apply pressure that could ultimately compromise winery operations as the years go by.

Such complaints could center around smells, noise, lights during night operations, dust, and other related issues.

San Joaquin County — as well as Manteca — are right-to-farm jurisdictions.

That means accepted agricultural practices are allowed despite objections that may arise.

That’s said, state air quality boards and other agencies have the ability to change rules for farming.

As such, it is feared a more intense interaction between housing and the winery could make it difficult — and more expensive — for the winery to operate.

The winery, the fifth latest in the world, is the largest private sector employer in the Manteca area once permanent and seasonal jobs are combined that top 600 in number.

Delicato Vineyards at Highway 99 and French Camp Road is not within the city limits.

It is, however part of the area the city has identified for likely annexation and future development.

The first visionary update workshop for the Manteca general plan was conducted on March 27, 2016. City officials said it would take roughly two years or so to accomplish.

Manteca had 77,030 residents back then.

The updated plan was finally adopted by the City Council on Tuesday — 7 years and 4 month after that first meeting,

Manteca is now on the cusp of 90,000 residents.

Arguably the biggest point of contention in the general plan update is what Manteca has in mind if and when they annex land around Delicato Wines.

Winery representatives have repeatedly expressed concerns that Manteca’s development plans could threaten the viability of the family owned operation that was launched 99 years ago on what is today the southwest quadrant of the French Camo Road and Highway 99 interchange

The winery, which just underwent a major expansion, employs people year round including many at salary levels that Manteca officials covet as  head-of-household jobs.

Delicato has pushed for a deep buffer — an area of agriculture, open space or minimally developed rural estates — to protect the winery from future complaints about noise and smells.

The city’s plan includes somewhat of an open space buffer.

It relies heavily, though, on future business parks doing much of what Delicato believes is an essential buffer area.

Delicato’s concern logically flows from the illogical decision making of people who think Amazon creates burgundy wine  in the bowels of the Internet and didn’t bother to wonder what that imposing tank farm was on the horizon behind where their dream home is being built.

At the same time, Delicato doesn’t believe business parks close to the winery will be a compatible use for the same reasons housing wouldn’t be.

Nearly every small farmer and other landowners in the area will tell you that they have had home developers knocking on their doors but not a single light industrial park developer.

They are smart people. They can do the math. A business park zone means they likely won’t receive top dollar for their land or perhaps not even find a buyer in the next 20 years.   

Several neighbors of the winery have previously said they approached the family-owned business about buying their land but it didn’t spark an interest.

It has prompted some nearby landowners that agree with the city’s general plan as adopted to argue Delicato is trying to get the city to create a buffer for them at no cost. They point to Gallo Winery in Modesto — the world’s largest winery — and note there are homes around it.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com