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| Newman City Council teams up with Patterson against West Park |
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| Written by Jonathan Partridge / Patterson Irrigator | |
| Wednesday, 14 November 2007 | |
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NEWMAN — Newman’s City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a joint resolution with the city of Patterson to oppose a 4,800-acre industrial project on and around a former naval airfield in Crows Landing. The board also voted to send a letter written by City Manager Mike Holland that stated reasons for the city’s opposition to the project. “I love this town, and I’m going to do everything I can to protect it,” Councilman Ted Kelly said. West Park, led by Sacramento-area developer Gerry Kamilos, is negotiating with Stanislaus County to develop a 4,800-acre industrial park on and around Crows Landing’s former 1,527-acre naval airfield. A main component of the project includes a short-haul rail link from the airfield, now owned by the county, and the Port of Oakland.  Irrigato photo file A few attendees, including West Park consultant Mike Lynch, expressed disappointment that the council voted without first listening to what they had to say. “Frankly, I think this resolution is premature,” Lynch said. “It is obstructionist in its goals.” Patterson’s City Council previously had approved the joint resolution on Nov. 6. Both the Patterson and Newman city councils also have directed the Stanislaus Council of Governments policy board tonight to oppose StanCOG staff’s resolution to seek state bond funding on behalf of West Park. Mayor John Fantazia, who sits on the StanCOG board, said he would “vote with (his) council” during tonight’s meeting. Council members said they wanted to preserve Newman’s small-town feel, and they believed West Park’s project would destroy that. “The impact of this project is so overwhelming that people down the road will say, ‘What were you thinking?’” Councilman Ed Katen said. Katen also expressed fear that the children of workers at the industrial park would overwhelm the Newman-Crows Landing School District. He said taking in children from the developing community of Diablo Grande already has taxed some of the district’s resources, and West Park would provide greater challenges. The Newman-Crows Landing School District will consider taking a stance on the resolution in December. Lynch argued that the district could legally decide not to accept new students into the district and that parents who worked at West Park would not necessarily live within the confines of the school district anyway. In addition to Lynch, a handful of other attendees also expressed support for the project and disappointment that the council had voted before listening to their concerns. Angie Archibeque, who has lived in Newman for most of her life, said she is of Mexican ancestry and that many other Mexicans she has talked to favor of the project because it would provide jobs. “Whether we like it or not, (this area) is going to grow,” she said. Newman resident and West Park representative Laroy McDonald, who said he had received criticism for favoring the project, said the project was important because it would reduce commutes and bring more jobs. “I don’t mind taking a whipping if I’m fighting for a cause that I know is just and right,” he said. Meanwhile, Newman resident Timothy Parker said he personally knows the challenges of commuting, having commuted to work since he moved to Newman in 1991. However, he is nervous about the scope of West Park’s project. “There’s been a lot of land grabbing going on in this city and in this county,” he said. “Once you cover up that agricultural land … where are we going to get our food?” Several members of the West Park opposition group West Side-Patterson Alliance for Community and Environment attended the meeting. A few of them spoke up, expressing concerns about the project’s impact on agriculture, traffic and air quality. “Our children’s playground at Bonita (School) will be next to a four-lane freeway,” Crows Landing resident and WS-PACE member Teresa Escobar said. Meanwhile, Crows Landing resident John Schuler said he is involved in the real estate business, and he estimated it would take 100 years to build out a project on 4,800 acres. He likened the project to a baby growing from infant size to 6 tons a year after being born. Though Fantazia said he would oppose seeking bond funding for the project, he also sternly warned attendees on Tuesday to refrain from name-calling and making nasty accusations. He said he felt the process for developing the airfield has become contentious. “What started out at a once in a lifetime chance to develop (the Crows Landing airfield) has turned ugly,” he said. Fantazia also said he would like to hear more from the people of Crows Landing, noting that they must contend with a dilapidated septic system, to better understand their needs and desires regarding the project. To reach Jonathan Partridge at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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