River Islands at Lathrop
River Islands at Lathrop is a proposed planned community on a 4,800-acre (7.5 sq mi; 1,900 ha) site in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in Lathrop, California, United States.
Plan
The developer is the Cambay Group of Walnut Creek, California which is an American subsidiary of Somerston Holdings Limited of the United Kingdom.[1] Plans call for the completion of 11,000 homes, a town center, business parks, and recreational areas over a 25-year development period.[1] In 2011, the developers stated construction of homes would not begin until late 2013 or early 2014 at the earliest."[2]
In October 2011, Banta Elementary School District approved the purchase of a 30-acre site within River Islands in Lathrop for construction of a k-8 charter school.[3] The 450-student technology school was proposed to open in August 2013 with an eventual expansion for a high school and college.[4]
History
The project was initially proposed in 1996 as a "mega resort" called Gold Rush City with theme parks, golf courses and private homes.[5] After substantial criticism about building within a flood plain, the plan was changed to a planned community surrounded by wide levees.[5] Since being proposed in 2001, the development has been delayed several years due to lawsuits, concerns about flooding, environmental impact issues and a downturn in the housing market.[5][6] To address the issues of flooding, plans call for 18 miles (29 km) of 300-foot-wide (91 m) levees to surround the community.[7] In 2003, Cambay Group settled lawsuits by the Sierra Club by establishing an $8.2 million trust for the protection of local farmland.[5] In 2009, the development company stated that construction would be further delayed because of the downturn in the housing market.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 Dennis Wyatt, "River Islands eyes 2011 start date," Manteca Bulletin, August 26 2009
- ↑ Wyatt, Dennis (May 6, 2011). "The bridge to the future - River Islands bridge work starts in July". Manteca Bulletin. River Islands at Lathrop. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- ↑ Rizzo, Denise Ellen (October 15, 2011). "Banta trustees approve tech charter". Tracy Press. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- ↑ . Tracy Press,Sep 22, 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 "River Islands project delayed 1 year," Anna Kaplan, Stockton Record, October 11 2007
- ↑ Davis Read, "Lathrop OKs River Islands," Tracy Press, January 29 2003
- ↑ Cheryl Winkelman, "Developer fattens up levees, blends them in," Tri-Valley Herald, March 1, 2007