The Project
The San Joaquin River Conservancy is proposing a project to extend the Lewis S. Eaton Trail by approximately 2.5 miles on over 500 acres of public land. The project site is called Spano River Ranch or River West Fresno and is located between Highway 41 and Palm Avenue.
The River West Fresno project will provide public access to 500 acres of open space and the San Joaquin River. Once complete, there will be a continuous trail from the River Center on Old Friant Road to Palm and Nees.
The River West Fresno project will provide public access to 500 acres of open space and the San Joaquin River. Once complete, there will be a continuous trail from the River Center on Old Friant Road to Palm and Nees.
What's at Stake?
The proposed River West Fresno project includes one vehicle access point at the Perrin Avenue Undercrossing off of Highway 41. This is excellent access for residents of Madera County but requires an additional 10-mile round trip for Fresno residents to access this Fresno property. Fresno residents would have to drive into Madera County on Highway 41, and then back into Fresno on the old 41 bridge to reach the site.
The Environmental Impact Report studied several project alternatives to provide additional vehicle access to the project site from Fresno. Alternative 1 would provide access at Riverview Drive just off of Audubon, a public road to public property. Alternative 5 would provide vehicle access on an old gravel haul road at the end of Nees Avenue. The River Parkway Trust is encouraged the Conservancy Board to approve the River West EIR with Alternative 1 —providing additional vehicle access to the project site from the City of Fresno.
Alternative 5b:
Instead of approving Alternative 1, the Conservancy chose to approve the project with the addition of Alternative 5b. This alternative was developed by the City of Fresno. This is different from the Alternative 5 in that it does not use an existing road. Instead it requires the construction of a new road into the riverbottom. This road would be built through the middle of Spano Park, down the steep bluff face at the end of Palm Avenue, and culminate in a parking lot on an old landfill. The owners of this landfill have been trying to donate the property to the City of Fresno for more than 30 years, and the City has refused to accept it due to concerns about environmental liability.
Here are the key points about Alternative 5b:
- Alternative 5b significantly disrupts Spano Park by building a road right through the center of it. Spano Park is the only City of Fresno park that directly overlooks the river.
- Alternative 5b requires the re-engineering of the bluff face to build a road down the bluff. The preliminary engineering cost estimate for this road is $5 million - and that doesn't include any land acquisition costs.
- Alternative 5b culminates in a parking lot on a former landfill that is privately owned. The owners of this landfill have offered to donate the site to the City of Fresno for approximately 30 years, but the City has refused to take it since it is a regulated landfill with associated environmental liabilities.
- Alternative 5b destroys approximately 20 mature Western Sycamore trees.
What's Happening Now
On August 12, 2020, the Conservancy board approved an addendum to the project environmental impact report (EIR) that allows for vehicle access at Alternative 1. Unfortunately, the board also approved "reasonable progress" on the benchmarks that were supposed to be met by the neighbor's group incorporated as the San Joaquin River Access Corporation (SJRAC). During the closed session, the Board also approved a settlement agreement with the SJRAC to end their litigation against the Conservancy regarding Alternative 5b. We don't yet know what the settlement agreement says, as it will not be released to the public until it is signed by all parties.
