[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6178641,"mediaKeyId","5213353-5a18f6b0734b86eaa7fd2ac54ff51da4","parentId",5213353,"title","Council authorizes iBank loan application for Hickman‑Waterford consolidation as residents press for relief after outages","audioSeconds",1711,"startMs",3765000,"endMs",5476000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5213353-5a18f6b0734b86eaa7fd2ac54ff51da4&start=3765&end=5476","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5213353-5a18f6b0734b86eaa7fd2ac54ff51da4/thumbnail_3765000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6178641/Waterford-City/Stanislaus-County/California/Council-authorizes-iBank-loan-application-for-HickmanWaterford-consolidation-as-residents-press-for-relief-after-outages","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178641-8e817a6c93329c6befc90db2ca4bae26/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171050&Signature=X5Jl0p-1UPWER9jp0Jxa3mAQL8MwRg9v25-AUBaA9H9Ex~rlWENCzj5PWJ0pvQdvQ9H6jfQfqHRs2OsQHUqkws-QMsxZIaRsObmGqvbZH5dzVo-Mt35T-wA~d5gJN55IFp~TrR1yZUXH-06rU8ee0VnB-MEfPObW1XP54viYhWqu7WIgQuTemBzf8fF6v1II0fIaArFjYetypFizCYy0ALKWebsQf5Ee9mep7bfgJC405ohOFd-h5W17Vvz1kh150UCaQ6BZ999QN86owQ5-kY0ZaVnRjsW7ehSmJBrZZc-qQStQ2X8d7rG2lEmprF8iYUWb8LsL9bZOzz~baK~Z8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Waterford City, CA","date","2025-07-03T00:00:00Z","article","The Waterford City Council voted unanimously to authorize submission of an application to the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank) to finance the Hickman‑Waterford water consolidation project and to incur obligations if IBank approves the loan.

City staff explained the application seeks financing to construct the remaining pipeline and related work to connect Hickman to Waterford’s water supply. Staff presented IBank as a financing option because recent state grant opportunities remain unavailable for the city’s project under current funding priorities; IBank’s preliminary review and credit processes typically take 30–90 days, and advertised interest ranges discussed at the meeting were about 4.6%–5.6% depending on credit factors.

Assistant/finance staff member (introduced as “Miss Embia”) told the council the financing process includes a preliminary review, credit review and IBank board approval, and that after the city elects to accept financing there is an option period of roughly 180 days to draw loan proceeds. She also noted a typical IBank term restriction discussed at the meeting: obligations funded under this process cannot be prepaid for a minimum 10 years without losing certain options.

City operations/finance speaker (identified at the meeting as Mr. Pickcock) provided system‑level numbers: since the city acquired the Hickman system the combined water system has about 2,000 service connections in Waterford and roughly 200 in Hickman; total Hickman‑system revenues collected since acquisition were approximately $1.7 million, operating expenditures about $1.258 million and about $450,000 allocated to capital improvement programming — of which roughly $323,000 went to debt service. Pickcock told the council those figures demonstrate Hickman does not generate sufficient revenue to fully fund the consolidation or the debt service on its own and that Waterford ratepayers have subsidized Hickman for years.

Residents from Hickman recounted recent service problems. Brandon Gerdes and other residents described water outages related to an ice‑piggings procedure used to clean lines, a late boil‑water notice timed minutes before a shutdown and brown water that left bathtubs discolored. Residents said the outages caused extra costs — purchases of bottled water and higher household water usage as residents flushed systems — and asked the council to consider customer relief or credits. Pam Davis and James Holcomb described increased household costs and asked for compensation; Lynn Meshew urged urgency and said past state studies had labeled the Hickman system deficient.

Staff outlined alternatives: continue to pursue state grant funding (previous grant applications remain active but have been deprioritized by the state or await further review), or pursue loan financing to allow construction to proceed sooner. Staff said the city has purchased 2.2 acres for planned future water infrastructure at Vineyard and Timbel and has been coordinating with Modesto and the Modesto Irrigation District on longer‑term surface‑water options.

Council members asked staff to return with options for addressing resident financial impacts tied to recent outages and to provide comparative billing information. Council then voted 5‑0 to adopt Resolution 2025‑40 authorizing the IBank application and related actions; staff said engineering plans are at bid‑ready stages and, if financing is obtained, construction could start after award and notice to proceed, with completion of the pipeline work likely into the following spring, subject to bidding and construction schedules.

The council discussion did not establish an immediate compensation program but members asked staff to return with options for bills or credits to residents and with a cost comparison of average usage during the outage months.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","CITY COUNCIL 07/03/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Waterford City Council voted unanimously to authorize an application to the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank to finance the Hickman‑Waterford water consolidation project, while Hickman residents urged the council to consider customer relief after months of outages and water‑quality incidents.","taxTitle","Waterford City, Stanislaus County, California","taxId",75794,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6178646,"Council approves 53‑home subdivision on Washington Road after hours of public comment",3537,168000,3705000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5213353-5a18f6b0734b86eaa7fd2ac54ff51da4&start=168&end=3705","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5213353-5a18f6b0734b86eaa7fd2ac54ff51da4/thumbnail_168000.jpg","/articles/6178646/Waterford-City/Stanislaus-County/California/Council-approves-53home-subdivision-on-Washington-Road-after-hours-of-public-comment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178646-33e6fa5e58617982c07b974c281b2819/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171050&Signature=JibcqWhyZ6SahH~YM9whnMQePOBD8gkPE2j~YFJLaICwCGZJIzy8CV-xp78dH96DhYaAHoXtoz2lfkX~vLRlHVJwDsPORNX57TCs-DzHkTfck31raZYrlRPiprJlERjjWDXpknzPGBC-5MzJEe2~Trwt0akd-9KaNnm6mAmmcSTgilZ4RqAUfCIaZYZreKJq1CK4ht7FXkfkFzTc5QZOQ0xABoD0wGoPScOw18WEzosV0fqS08BkJPVfpGxRW1~aFDyKGHFVgaaDwfg1R-o19AWLq-fIBkN~18iPClj1mxEsxH6JCacMkScuA-ScXo28xg92uJuIERuKUx2M8Y6hjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Waterford City Council approved measures to allow a 53‑unit, privately maintained subdivision on a 3.61‑acre parcel that fronts Washington Road and Pasadena Avenue, voting to adopt a mitigated negative declaration and to approve rezoning and the vesting tentative subdivision map.

City contract planner Mike Arroyo told the council the proposal would create a gated subdivision with two full access points (one on Washington Road and one on Pasadena Avenue), 53 detached single‑family lots, two‑car garages on each unit and 22 guest parking spaces. The project would require frontage improvements including widened Washington Road, curb, gutter and sidewalk, installation of a six‑foot decorative masonry wall along Washington Road and annexation into a community facilities district for long‑term maintenance.

The project team said the development fits Waterford’s Vision 2025 general plan designation for “multifamily” land uses and that the proposed density — about 14.7 dwelling units per acre — is on the low end of the multifamily range listed in the general plan (12–36 units per acre). A CEQA initial study prepared for the project concluded impacts would be less than significant with mitigation and staff brought a mitigated negative declaration and related ordinances and resolutions for council action.

At the planning commission hearing in April the commission recommended approval by a 4‑1 vote. BuildCo representative Stephanie Dietz told the council the homes would be owner‑occupied, come in three floor plans, be governed by an HOA and include infrastructure improvements consistent with city standards and with the city’s active transportation grant work.

Neighborhood residents urged the council to reconsider elements of the design. Jessica Craft, who said she lives on Clarks Mill Court near the project, said her primary concern is increased traffic and children’s safety: “There is traffic. There’s going to be 53 homes. …I’m worried about my child. I’m worried about his friends.” Another nearby resident, Jill Weichart, asked about the western fence line and whether farming irrigation or property lines would be affected; staff said irrigation rights would not be disturbed and that a wood perimeter fence meeting city standards would be built and maintained by the HOA.

Planning manager Mark Niskinen and staff clarified that the rezone is needed because the site’s existing planned‑community zoning reflected a previously approved senior housing project and must be amended to match the specific single‑family proposal now before the city. Staff and the applicant also described pedestrian and traffic improvements the developer would construct along the project frontage and noted the city will construct additional ATP‑funded sidewalk/curb improvements in adjacent segments as part of a separate grant‑funded project.

Council members debated neighborhood impacts and infrastructure. Council member Talbot said she was “relieved” to see the second entrance added and welcomed sidewalks where children currently walk; Council member Gutierrez urged earlier neighborhood engagement on future projects. Mayor Gokin moved approval of the resolutions and ordinance; the three related actions (certifying the mitigated negative declaration, introducing the rezone ordinance, and approving the vesting tentative subdivision map) passed on 3‑2 votes.

The decisions authorize the project entitlements and direct staff to implement the conditions of approval, including the listed frontage and public‑safety conditions; they do not by themselves approve building permits, which will follow after the applicant meets final map and plan submittal requirements.

Community members who spoke at the hearing were told the full public‑hearing packet — including a letter from the Waterford Unified School District referenced by the applicant — is available in the council packet and online.

The project will be privately maintained by the HOA and the developer must satisfy the subdivision and building permit requirements, annex to a CFD for long‑term utility maintenance and comply with the conditions incorporated from referrals such as Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District.","The Waterford City Council voted 3‑2 to approve a rezoning, tentative subdivision map and mitigated negative declaration for a gated, 53‑home subdivision on a 3.61‑acre parcel fronting Washington Road and Pasadena Avenue amid neighborhood concerns about traffic, parking and open space.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6178636,"City approves three‑year HOME and CDBG consortium agreements with Stanislaus County",404,5493000,5897000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5213353-5a18f6b0734b86eaa7fd2ac54ff51da4&start=5493&end=5897","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5213353-5a18f6b0734b86eaa7fd2ac54ff51da4/thumbnail_5493000.jpg","/articles/6178636/Waterford-City/Stanislaus-County/California/City-approves-threeyear-HOME-and-CDBG-consortium-agreements-with-Stanislaus-County","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178636-d078a3c71aa39886c950a8afdfa4636f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171050&Signature=SzxDJEh0bnH0dRSSm~fiPyf-sSa3tM1CwUc9dP6hNqcO-CX7WlCox7ALVYTrgw5aLMvywAgoT0AesHeo17QcvppGj5L0PXu8Ysm3tV9z9Kj67wu3LmwY82DRmrmxp3hQnfHjpElA1EyRr60iHDCD6--fEaXm2O5NcCLRVh2O16kDsU4uEq2oNfa96tB7XqLQt4bEeHI07~ARVC~bWGLB9LH5TxuHaNfcp7k9Bk-Bt5-H2igJHzkfQDEtFxoJeOLCogRbAm8IVUnPrLhybjBmEMudshVC6QwsCw6FWb~1gbtU-OSFqx9RtbUqJKy7dCJ7WGlR3swax69fD~tiSFhWyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Waterford City Council approved two resolutions that keep the city in regional housing and community development funding programs: a three‑year HOME Investment Partnerships Program consortium agreement and a three‑year intergovernmental cooperation agreement for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) urban county entitlement.

Housing and economic development staff explained the HOME agreement would designate the city as a HOME subrecipient, securing a small annual allocation for eligible HOME activities such as down‑payment assistance or home rehabilitation. Staff noted federal restrictions on HOME use — including purchase‑price limits and a required local match — limit the program’s practical use in communities where typical home prices exceed those caps, which has historically constrained Waterford’s ability to deploy HOME down‑payment assistance locally.

On CDBG, staff described the program’s past use for pedestrian and ADA‑compliant improvements and street frontage work. City staff and council members referenced prior projects funded with CDBG and related funds, including past curb/sidewalk work on H Street and planned future work on G Street; the city’s approach emphasizes walkability and ADA upgrades. Both agreements run from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2029, and the council approved the resolutions by unanimous vote.

Staff said smaller annual HOME allocations are often pooled at the county level for larger projects; the city intends to remain a consortium member so it can access any future program opportunities and continue to receive its designated allotment. The council approved both agreements 5‑0.","The council approved two three‑year intergovernmental agreements to remain in the Stanislaus County HOME consortium and the county’s Urban County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, securing small annual allotments the city can use for eligible housing and pedestrian/street projects.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council authorizes iBank loan application for Hickman‑Waterford consolidation as residents press for relief after outages

Council approves 53‑home subdivision on Washington Road after hours of public comment

City approves three‑year HOME and CDBG consortium agreements with Stanislaus County