Modesto residents’ concerns about city health captured in report. City could consider them

Despite plans for improvements to parks and sidewalks, some residents of Modesto still feel left in the lurch.

In community meetings, they have voiced concerns about health issues, groundwater contamination and a lack of community facilities in disadvantaged areas.

These sentiments have been captured in a report full of recommendations that could be part of the city’s new General Plan. The report was produced by the Stanislaus Sustainable Communities Coalition (SSCC) and developed with funding from the Climate Plan and the California Department of Public Health.

Downtown Modesto, the south and west parts of the city, and certain neighborhoods like the airport district and near Johansen High School are identified as disadvantaged communities by the California Environmental Protection Agency. These areas exhibit the poorest air quality, contaminated water sources, substandard housing conditions, elevated poverty rates and heightened exposure to pesticides.

As a result, residents in these neighborhoods experience the highest rates of asthma, heart disease and other indicators of pollution-related health burdens or vulnerability, according to the report.

“We’re in a very disadvantaged area. We don’t have sidewalks. Everything in west Modesto is very deteriorated and nobody’s doing anything,” reads one quote from a resident from the Modesto Watch Parties held in west and south Modesto in 2022.

SSCC was founded in 2011 as a coalition comprising stakeholders dedicated to addressing social and environmental justice concerns through advocacy and educational efforts. The coalition is made up of a core group of four main organizations: Catholic Charities Diocese of Stockton, California Health Collaborative, Tuolumne River Trust and Valley Improvement Projects.

SSCC previously has contributed to the Regional Transportation Plan, advocated for Modesto’s Measure L and worked on the Ceres General Plan.

The goals and policies presented in the report have been pulled from general plans already implemented in various California communities. They adhere to the State of California Senate Bill SB 1000: Planning for Healthy Communities criteria and address the needs and concerns voiced by Modesto residents.

Katie Moose, director of program services at California Health Collaborative, emphasized that the essence of SB 1000 lies in prioritizing disadvantaged communities rather than implementing citywide actions. “It’s about getting the city to be very specific about those communities,” she said.

The city must balance various interests, Moose added, and the General Plan offers guidance on prioritizing the needs of underserved communities.

SB 1000 requires local jurisdictions to address environmental justice in their General Plans. The environmental justice areas that must be addressed, according to the report’s recommendations, include:

• Promoting civic engagement

• Prioritizing improvements and programs that address local needs

• Reducing pollution exposure

• Promoting public facilities

• Promoting healthy food access

• Promoting safe and sanitary homes

• Promoting physical activities.

Some examples listed to address these recommendations include improving the city website, implementing housing rehabilitation programs and designating streets where trucks are prohibited.

The city’s General Plan outlines the trajectory for the next decade, detailing aspects such as housing locations, zoning regulations, traffic management and industrial development. It serves as a blueprint for the community’s long-term vision, with an objective of enhancing health and environmental justice.

The city last updated its General Plan in 1995, according to the city website.

The city is entering the Land Use Alternatives phase, where staff asks the public to identify areas where land use changes may be needed to support the community’s vision. The updated General Plan is expected to be completed in the fall of 2026, according to the city website timeline.

“Hopefully they’ll include most, if not all, of the recommendations that we have in there,” Moose said.

“The SSCC’s report identifies a number of important issues and recommendations that are proven strategies in other California communities and may help to better support our underserved communities while at the same time promoting citywide goals,” Mayor Sue Zwahlen said.

“Over the course of the next several months, we will be meeting with community members and other stakeholders to receive valuable feedback, such as that outlined in SSCC’s report, to help guide the development of Modesto 2050 General Plan,” she said.

In California, the areas that have suffered most from a combination of economic, health and environmental burdens are considered disadvantaged.

“It’s always the disadvantaged communities that usually have no seat at the table,” said Ector Olivares, program manager at the Environmental Justice Program.

From May to August 2022, the SSCC created and carried out a plan to connect with the community. Their goal was to educate residents about SB 1000-related matters. Moose said that they used brief educational videos and discussion prompts to help people think about their neighborhoods.

The goal was to elicit their thoughts, sentiments and recommendations regarding topics to be addressed in the forthcoming Modesto 2050 General Plan Update.

Edgar Garibay, project manager at Valley Improvement Projects, said they’ve received positive feedback from the mayor but want a commitment. He believes the city should also incentivize community members to provide their input.

Ideally, the city will acknowledge the feedback received, commit to implementing suggested changes throughout their term and ensure that the first or final draft of the plan reflects these recommendations, he said.