Get The Facts
What is the River Walk Plan?
The River Walk Plan is a mixed-use development proposed for land along the Stanislaus River just west of the City of Riverbank. Currently just outside the borders of Riverbank, the plan area will be annexed into Riverbank as part of the approval process.
What are the elements of River Walk?
River Walk includes a diverse mix of housing, with the majority of the housing planned for an active adult community (55+) with a vibrant town center including a community center/club house with a number of recreational activities. The town center will also include a mix of dining, shopping, and other community gathering places.
The housing for the active adult community will include single family homes, homes with ADUs, townhomes, apartments, and assisting living facilities.
In addition to the active adult housing, a mix of non-age restricted housing for families will be part of the plan to provide housing for first-time buyers as well as those moving up the housing ladder.
A number of community amenities including a nature trail along the bank of the Stanislaus River , a number of neighborhood and community parks, and additional dining and shopping opportunities.
How will the River Walk Plan interact with the Stanislaus River and groundwater recharge efforts?
River Walk will preserve 48 acres of river front property, including a mile of river frontage inside the levee. The plan will allow for access along the River with a nature trail. The Plan also includes a large basin for capturing rainfall and allowing natural recharge of groundwater reserves for Riverbank.
What is the economic impact of River Walk?
The River Walk will generate substantial additional property and sales taxes for Riverbank while helping ensure a strong economy for the future in our community. The plan will also develop a number of high-quality construction jobs during the buildout phase and substantial ongoing employment with a mix of jobs including medical, office/professional, and retail and hospitality positions.
The property and sales taxes from the River Walk Plan will generate revenue for the construction and staffing of the proposed new Fire Station on the west side of Riverbank.
How else will the River Walk plan ensure Riverbank’s strong future?
By controlling the development of the River Walk property, Riverbank ensures local control of the site and prevents encroachment from Modesto, as well as ensuring the economic impact of the site is to Riverbank’s benefit rather than Modesto.
Will the project create substantial traffic for Riverbank?
No. With a majority of the housing proposed for an active adult community, the number of traffic trips generated from travel such as commuting to work and taking kids to school will be significantly lower than other developments. Furthermore, River Walk includes a strong commitment for Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV) for much of its internal trips, and most active adult residents are expected to drive NEVs to the Town Center and Clubhouse.
Is the project subject to flooding?
No. The existing levee and flood control systems protect the property from flooding, and specifically, homeowners will not be required to obtain flood insurance as would be mandated if the property was subject to significant flood risk.
Will River Walk cause an unacceptable loss of important farmland?
Not at all. While much of the site is currently farmed, a number of aging orchards might soon phase out of use. Stanislaus County currently has almost twice as much irrigated farmland in agricultural production today as we had 30 years ago. And farm revenue in the County continues to increase. The development of the River Walk will not have a detrimental impact on the farming community.
Will the River Walk plan cause an increase in water consumption during ongoing long-term droughts?
No. The River Walk plan includes the latest water conservation technologies and the development will actually reduce groundwater consumption compared to current agricultural uses.
Will the parks, river trails, and shopping be available to the whole Riverbank community or just the residents?
The river trails, nature walks, shopping, and parks will be open to Riverbank residents.
