PATTERSON  — 

Stanislaus County officials told West Side residents that the latest plan for developing the former Crows Landing naval airfield is not like the West Park project that stirred emotions for five years.

There are no trains running through Patterson. No sprawl outside the 1,532-acre base site. And no chance of changing the land use designation to permit housing subdivisions.

The county does project 17,000 jobs for western Stanislaus County if the property is developed with a general aviation airport and 10 million square feet of building space. About a dozen people attended the presentation Thursday in the Patterson council chambers, asking questions about traffic, the timing for development and how it would help folks in Patterson, Crows Landing and Newman.

Keith Boggs, assistant county executive officer, said the jobs will create opportunity in an area with high unemployment. He noted the jobless rate in Patterson was more than 20 percent from 2010 to 2013 and was 25 percent in the unincorporated area.

The county’s vision for 17,000 jobs is more than what was ever proposed by developer Gerry Kamilos, whose 13,000-job West Park project was opposed by West Side community leaders and residents.

The county’s industrial complex would be 40 percent distribution centers and warehouses, 40 percent manufacturing and 20 percent public services and offices. No “wet” industries such as canneries are envisioned.

The former base with two runways would develop over 30 years. Officials want to use the shorter runway for the public airport and, in the first 10 years, encourage development on acreage northeast of the proposed airport.

A larger area near the intersection of Marshall Road and Highway 33 would develop from 2026 to 2035. Two areas reserved for the final phase are south of the proposed airport, on the east side of Bell Road and north side of Fink Road.

The plan also includes road improvements, a park, bicycle routes and transit.

Boggs said the county has no plans to sell parcels but would maintain land ownership and enter long-term leases with industrial tenants.

He said the phases could be adjusted depending on where a developer would like to build. The county would create an assessment district to generate millions of dollars for public facilities and improving key intersections, such as Marshall Road at Highway 33.

Environmental consultants will study the impact 17,000 jobs would have on the regional road system, fire and police protection, schools and other services. After the environmental study is adopted next year, the county hopes to find a master developer.

Officials said the meeting in Patterson, and one in Crows Landing last week, were held to share the plans with the public and listen to comments. Critics previously said they were kept in the dark about West Park and they didn’t like what the plans revealed – a transportation hub with trains running between Crows Landing and the Port of Oakland.

Although it was not reflected in the plans, opponents also feared Kamilos wanted to build homes. The county severed ties with Kamilos in 2012 after he failed to make progress on environmental studies for West Park.

Patterson resident Fritz Schali said Thursday the county should not propose 17,000 jobs without talking about housing for employees and their families. Boggs stayed away from that question. County board chairman Jim DeMartini noted that Patterson has hundreds of acres approved for housing subdivisions 6 miles from Crows Landing.

Last week, Crows Landing residents suggested the plan include amenities such as a grocery market and a public swimming pool.

The county took possession of the former airfield in 2004 through a deed from the federal government. After Kamilos was out of the picture, the county sought proposals from potential developers for the site in late 2012 and early 2013, but no one submitted a bid.

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