Stockton Council Considers Spanos Deal

STOCKTON, CA - The City Council is scheduled this evening to consider a proposal to relieve developer A.G. Spanos Cos. of its obligation to build hundreds of multifamily homes in Spanos Park West, allowing Spanos to instead build those homes elsewhere or, if Spanos prefers, to pay a per-unit fee of $2,000.

In 2002, when the council approved construction of Spanos Park West, it required that the subdivision include 935 high-density housing units. The developer has built 308 units in an apartment complex off Interstate 5.

Spanos has said that after building a shopping center and selling land to Wal-Mart for a planned store, endeavors the city encouraged, it has no more room to build.

Spanos has proposed fulfilling its commitment in Spanos Park West by building 488 high-density units in two other north Stockton developments and 157 units downtown. If Spanos chooses, it could instead pay $2,000 per unit to a nonprofit organization associated with multifamily housing.

Mayor Ed Chavez and City Manager Gordon palmer have said the deal would encourage the construction of housing downtown. The Sierra Club's Eric Parfrey has said to allow Spanos to pay $2,000 a unit is unreasonable.