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Work underway on $8.7M worth of FEZ infrastructure
FEZ CONSTRUCTION DANIELS1 1-28-17 copy
Crews are putting in place $8.7 million worth of infrastructure for the citys family entertainment zone as well as a second sewer pipe under the 120 Bypass. - photo by HIME ROMERO/The Bulletin

Even if the City of Manteca doesn’t snag a waterpark resort or develop the much ballyhooed family entertainment center, $8.7 million in residual redevelopment agency bond proceeds will help serve growth south of the 120 Bypass and open the door for irrigating parks and public landscaping with treated wastewater.
Knife River is currently excavating for the placement of a second sewer line beneath the 120 Bypass. It is engineered to tie in with segments of a new sewer line Manteca put in place along Woodward Avenue using $10 million in growth fess three years ago. Other parts have been put in place as developers prepare property along the corridor for home building.
Once the last missing segment on Woodward Avenue is put in place, the city will have a gravity flow sewer line running all the way to Woodward Park eliminating the need for a pump station.
Once that line is up and running, the existing sewer line that runs to the treatment plant from Woodward Park will be cleaned out and put in use for the gravity flow of treated wastewater to irrigate existing and future parks south of the 120 Bypass.
The bulk of the $8.7 million is being spent to do basic infrastructure work such as extend main sewer, water, and storm drain lines that are essential for the 210 acres of city-owned property west of Costco and south of the wastewater treatment plant to  be developed  for commercial and recreation purposes.
The land constitutes the family entertainment zone that includes a proposed 60-acre hotel, indoor waterpark, conference center and other recreation amenities. The city is currently in negotiations with two developers interested in developing various segments of the FEZ.
There was $21 million set aside for the South Area Regional Infrastructure Project that includes the FEZ. Funds committed so far leaves a balance of under $12 million.
In the past city leaders have indicated once all necessary work is done to make the FEZ developable in terms of infrastructure, if there are adequate funds left over it will go towards the extension of Milo Candini Drive from where it now ends at the northern edge of the Big League Dreams sports complex to West Yosemite Avenue.
That would open additional city owned and for possible development with small business parks as well as provide additional access to the FEZ and Stadium Retail Center.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com