Housing & Development · Riverbank, CA
Riverbank Residents File Referendum to Reverse River Walk Approval
Opponents of the 2,400-home River Walk development in Riverbank gathered approximately 1,760 signatures—exceeding the 10% threshold—to petition for a referendum reversing the City Council's 3-2 approval vote. The group, Voters for Farmland, alleged that paid protesters from DnD Consultants of Modesto, hired at $75–$100 per day, disrupted signature-collection sites outside Save Mart on Oakdale Road, the former O'Brien's supermarket, and Cost Less store. The new referendum is separate from Measure M, a Nov. 3 ballot initiative that would give voters veto power over developments west of the city. Signatures now enter validation by the city and Stanislaus County registrar of voters; if validated, the City Council must either reverse its decision or place the referendum before voters. Campaign finance disclosures show $50,000 from the California Association of Realtors to the "No on Measure M" effort, while Voters for Farmland reported $36,000 in contributions.