Patterson Irrigator

A 154-home project at Ninth Street and Ward Avenue received approval from the Patterson Planning Commission on Thursday night, even as several people who live close to the site shared worries about increased traffic and crime.

The 3-0 vote clears the way for developers to take the plan to the City Council, which will have the final say.

The Marrad Group presented the commission with plans for 92 town homes and 62 apartments. The development firm had presented similar plans a year ago, but the commission rejected them because it did not like the size and arrangement of open space.

Developers reworked those aspects of the plan and removed duplexes, satisfying the commissioners.
Neighbors, however, still have concerns about traffic. The project is directly across the street from Patterson High School, and many cars pack into the area when classes are starting and ending each day. Patterson Unified School District Superintendent Patrick Sweeney described described Ninth Street and Ward Avenue as the most congested intersection in his district.

“We need a signal light,” said Norma Days, who has lived in the area for 40 years. “I think we’d be saving someone’s life by putting it in.”

Other neighbors who spoke to the commission agreed.

City Planner Pat Bodin said the city intends to put a signal at the intersection when traffic reaches a certain level, but the increase created by the development likely would not trigger that. He said developers intend to connect North Ninth Street to Heartland Ranch Avenue, which would alleviate some traffic problems.

Sweeney recommended putting a right-hand turn lane on Ninth Street at Ward Avenue.
Ultimately, the commission directed city employees to determine the feasibility of installing a right-hand turn lane and to see if the signal could be put in sooner.

The school district initially opposed the project because of air quality, traffic and noise worries. They withdrew those objections Thursday after the developers agreed to pay more fees to the district. The district will receive $4.76 per square foot.

Neighbors also spoke against the 62 planned apartments. Several said apartment dwellers are more likely to be criminals. The commission did not respond.

The southern section of the project sits next to land zoned for commercial use. JP Smith, a representative of the family that owns that land, asked that the proposed 6-foot-high wall separating the two properties be built in a way that it can be extended to 12 feet high if the commercial development happens. That would allow some privacy and a noise buffer between the properties, Smith said.

The commission told developers to build a wall that could be extended to 10 feet high.

The commission also required the developer to run sewer hookups to homes directly southeast of the project that now lack city sewer connections. Developers said that wouldn’t be a problem.

To reach John Saiz 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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