Los Banos residential development passes Planning Commission

The Los Banos Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a tentative tract map for a residential development of 231 single-family homes Wednesday, despite concerns from residents neighboring the property.

The Villas project, proposed and designed by residential developer Greg Hostetler and representative Jeff Roberts, will be considered for approval by the City Council on Sept. 21, said Stacy Souza Elms, Los Banos senior planner.

The 55.8-acre development is planned for the area between Whitehurst Funeral Chapel and the Cresthills subdivisions to the north and east.

Cresthills residents on Bluff Drive, neighboring the northern edge of the development, have been pushing for a “greenbelt” walkway and landscaping they say would provide more of a buffer between the subdivision and the new development.

The walkway was part of the original annexation documents for the development 10 years ago, when the Cresthills residents were moving in and when the Villas property was owned by a different developer.

They wanted that part of the annexation preserved to avoid negative impact on their property values and for greater backyard privacy.

But the Planning Commission on Wednesday revised the plans to not require the greenbelt.

“I don’t think they (the residents) were very happy,” Elms said.

In addition to the recommendation, the Planning Commission attached stipulations requiring a larger home setback, the building of a masonry fence between the Villas homes and Bluff Drive homes, and only allowing the Villas property to match the floor count of the homes of their Bluff Drive neighbors to the north.

The commission also reviewed designs for the construction of a 3,000-square-foot building to be used as a Walmart training center and built west of the Los Banos Walmart at 1575 W. Pacheco Blvd.

Elms said the plan is for the training center to be for career advancement within Walmart Stores Inc. for the west side of the Central Valley.

The training center is expected to be discussed by the Planning Commission on Aug. 24.

This story was originally published August 12, 2016 at 3:51 PM with the headline "Los Banos residential development passes Planning Commission."