Modesto city planners have introduced three land use alternatives as part of the Modesto 2050 General Plan update, outlining options for minimal to aggressive growth in the area north of Kiernan Avenue up to Ladd Road. The most expansive proposal would allow for significant residential and high-density housing development in agricultural areas, along with regional commercial and business center projects west of Vintage Faire Mall and Highway 99. It also includes a corridor for industrial development along the Highway 132 bypass route extending to Hart Road.
The alternatives were presented at a public workshop attended by about 35 people at Harvest Hall in south Modesto. Two additional workshops are scheduled this week, one on Wednesday at the Modesto Centre Plaza San Joaquin Room and another on Thursday at the Stanislaus County Veterans Service Office.
Jessica Hill, director of community and economic development, explained that the plan aims to guide Modesto’s growth through 2050 by providing more jobs, increasing city revenue, and offering various types of housing. “The three land use alternatives the city is considering are for development outside the current municipal boundaries,” Hill said during her presentation.
The proposed plans would expand Modesto’s planning area from its current 31,000 acres to between 45,120 and 49,650 acres. Staff did not provide population projections associated with each option but made maps available online showing details of each alternative.
Hill noted that any new developments will be subject to existing city regulations requiring a public advisory vote on sewer line extensions and measures intended to prevent urban sprawl by mandating farmland mitigation efforts.
City officials emphasized that none of the proposals affect Wood Colony’s original boundaries—a sensitive issue since previous attempts to include parts of Wood Colony in growth plans led to political controversy in 2013-14.
During Tuesday’s workshop, Lori Wolf commented on industrial land uses planned along Highway 132: “I have a problem because it’s the most prime farmland in the world.”
Residential subdivisions under consideration would be located north of Kiernan Avenue between Dale Road and an industrial zone near McHenry Avenue. Plans also call for new commercial development near Vintage Faire Mall and designated business centers along Beckwith Road between Texas Avenue and Toomes Road. Additional residential areas are identified east of Claus Road in northeast Modesto.
Hill stated that Modesto’s water system can support current general plan build-out levels; further analysis will follow once new preferred boundaries are selected by City Council. Similar reviews will assess wastewater capacity, transportation infrastructure, storm drainage systems, fire protection services, and police resources.
A timeline set by city staff calls for decisions on preferred land use alternatives next year with a draft general plan update expected in early 2027.
In recent years, Modesto has completed other planning initiatives including a Southwest Modesto Plan finalized in 2023. The city is also working on downtown redevelopment projects such as a soccer stadium and entertainment venues as well as improvements along McHenry Avenue.
