Plenty of building in 2020
Sutter County
Editor’s Note: Despite a somewhat out-of-control year, the Yuba-sutter area has seen a significant amount of construction activity planned and/or completed. Our reporters update you on some of those projects.
There were two notable development projects completed in Sutter County in the second half of 2020, one necessary in order for major construction to start in the years ahead and one that will benefit county operations.
– In November 2020, county supervisors approved a development agreement with Lennar Homes and Wynn
Communities that will guide future construction on the first phase of Sutter Pointe in south Sutter County. The first phase of the project, known as Lakeside at Sutter Pointe, will see approximately 3,900 homes built.
“Construction of the underground utilities is expected to begin in late 2022 with model home construction beginning in late 2023,” said Neal Hay, director of Development Services.
– Another significant
project was a 200-foot communications tower at the Sutter County Sheriff ’s Office, which will provide public safety communications throughout the northern half of Sutter County — if extended another 50 feet in the future, it will also provide coverage for the Sutter Pointe residential development.
In 2021, the county has several notable projects expected to be completed, Hay said.
– The county plans to build a Main Library Innovation Center that will provide access to new education opportunities for residents, in addition to renovating portions of the existing building to increase square footage by approximately 5,500 square feet. The project is expected to be completed by June.
– The auditor-controller and treasurer/taxcollector offices will also be relocating to a new location that makes use of vacant office space and will consolidate county offices to the Civic Center Government Campus, which is expected to improve public access to both services. The renovation and relocation is expected to be completed by May.
– Plans are also in place to improve the Fortna Road Bridge, which is currently a structurally deficient metal arch bridge that will be replaced with a new concrete structure — the bridge provides road access to 13 residential properties.
– Lastly, the county will be installing a new perimeter fence around the sheriff ’s office and jail, expected to be completed by October.
– “The adoption of FEMA floodplain maps in 2015 had a dramatic impact upon the potential land for development in unincorporated Sutter County. The requirement to elevate commercial and residential structures that are located south of the city of Yuba City has provided an obstacle to most development, aside from agricultural buildings,” Hay said. “While there may be some relief in the nearterm, large portions of the county will remain suitable only for agriculture for the foreseeable future.”
Yuba City
– The most notable project completed within the city last year was the Fifth Street Bridge Replacement Project, which replaced the existing two-lane bridge with a new four-lane structure that can handle 95,000 vehicles per day and improves response times to Rideout and the area’s emergency flood evacuation routes, among other things. The $72.6 million project started in January 2018 and was completed last November.
– One of the city’s biggest projects that began last year was the Feather River California Temple, which is replacing the former Mormon Stake Center located at 1470 Butte House Road. The
9.4 acres of land will also see a new stake center and distribution center established. To date, the foundation has been completed and structural framing has begun to go up, with crews having begun attaching the floor and roof decks to the interlocking steel beams. Preparation work has also begun for some of the parking areas. The project is estimated to be completed in late 2022 to early 2023.
– “We have a few great projects ongoing and several more scheduled to start in 2021,” said Kevin Bradford, deputy director of Public Works for the city.
A stretch of Franklin Avenue is being improved to include new sewer laterals, water services, storm drainage improvements, a rehabilitated roadway surface, and a widening of the road to allow for the installation of bike lanes, landscaped parkway strips, Ada-compliant curb ramps and sidewalks.
The approximately $1.4 million project started in July 2020 and is expected to be completed in early 2021.
– The Harter Tanks Painting Improvements project will see the city drain its two 2,000,000-gallon water storage tanks so that crews can get in and clean, repair and recoat them, estimated to cost $2.1 million. The project started in September 2020 and will be completed this summer.
– As part of its $6.5 million Cellular Water Meter Replacement Project, the city plans to replace 16,800 radioread transmitters with cellular-read transmitters and registers, plus 5,000 new water bodies in order to improve service for customers while reducing costs associated with labor and equipment that is needed to read the current meters. The project started last November and is scheduled to be completed in the summer.
– The Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements project ($24.7 million) will see the facility receive new equipment and technology. The project began in early 2019 and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
-- Lastly, phase two of the Feather River Parkway project includes the creation of two miles of new public bicycle and pedestrian trails, picnic areas, an overlook of the Feather
River, improved access to a pond at the parkway, interpretive signage, restoration of two acres of wetlands, a restroom, and preservation of 10 acres of riparian woodlands. The $1.7 million project is expected to be completed this spring.
Live Oak
City Manager Aaron Palmer said there are several notable projects currently underway, including a K. Hovnanian subdivision (anticipated buildout of 2022), the
Live Oak Highway 99 Streetscape project (expected to be completed by the end of the year), and Well 7 (first quarter of 2021).
“The Highway 99 Expansion and Streetscape project will increase the safety of drivers by having two lanes in each direction. It will also give an improved visual appeal to the city as a whole,” Palmer said. “Well 7 will improve reliability for the city’s water supply system and help meet future anticipated demands resulting from growth.”
Other notable projects expected to start this year include a reconstruction of Pennington Road West, and the fourth phase of Recreational Trail. A P Street Lift Station upgrade is also expected to begin in early 2022.
“These projects will assist the city in having the infrastructure and appeal that future home buyers would want in a city,” Palmer said.