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The Modesto Bee San Joaquin/Tuolumne Edition Monday, June 8, r;987- Region B-2 State B-3metro B.- Comics B-4 Section' Report outlines troubles with Tracy project ByMICHAEL DOYLE Be, staff writer T^ACY — A proposal to build 14 hous- es . outheast of the city illustrates the up and downsides of San Joaquin County's growth. A recently completed draft environ- mental impact report details a proposal for what is called the Traina Brothers property. The draft report, received by county officials Friday, examines both the Traina Brothers' specific proposal for 26 acres, and the larger consequences of developing 410 acres in the area. The proposed Traina Brothers develop- ment now is an apricot orchard, located between Fairoaks and Linne roads south- east of the city limits. To build 14 houses on their 26 acres, the developers need a general plan amendment and a zoning change. That area presently is zoned for agriculture. "County policy now discourages expan- sion of rural residential areas," Associate Planner Bruce Baracco said. County policies intend the rural resi- dential zone to allow housing in areas already so split up that significant farm- ing no longer can take place. The Traina proposal by itself would not significantly reduce the county's farming acreage, the report notes. But the proposal would continue the loss of area farmland, the report states, and potentially would contribute to ongo- ing conflicts between farmers and resi- dents. "Production levels in the area are al- ready being affected by varying degrees of urban encroachment," the report states. The proposal's inconsistency with some parts of both county and city plan- ning policies must be addressed, the re- port says. The new houses, according to the pro- posal, would use individual wells for wa- ter and septic tanks for sewage. But county policies adopted this year state that rural residential projects of this size should hook up to public water systems. Concerns about ground water stem from the discovery of toxics beneath the Tracy Defense Depot, located less than one-quarter mile from the site. The project represents the kind of "leapfrog" development that both city and county policies seek to prevent, the report states. The report suggests county planners re-evaluate rural residential policies, and urges all rural residential developments comply with policies relating to water and sewage disposal. If applied to the Traina proposal, that would force a change from individual wells to a public water system and a public storm drain system. Any new houses would have to be shielded from train and truck noise, ac- cording to the report. The report notes that since other land suitable for development exists closer to Tracy, the justification for committing valuable farm land "is not firm." A 45 -day public comment period on the draft environmental impact report starts today. The San Joaquin County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the report July 16.