Woodbury project faces delays

Yuba County officials and a developer on Monday cited a weak housing market as one reason for delaying - and possibly scaling back - plans for Woodbury, a major development east of Highway 70 and south of Erle Road.

The Sacramento developer, Reynen & Bardis Communities, has not renewed options to buy some of the 1,600 acres planned for Woodbury, which would include 6,250 homes, as well as stores, parks and schools, said Randy Margo, assistant county administrator.

Reynen & Bardis “is re-evaluating its investment” and reconsidering what will be built and when, said Margo.

“They’re looking at doing a scaled-back version,” he said.

Of the 1,600 acres planned for Woodbury, Reynen & Bardis still has options to buy 800-plus acres, with another 300 acres in doubt, said Margo.

The developer has delayed Woodbury’s start date from 2008 to 2009 - “the caveat being that it’s all market-driven,” said Margo.

Woodbury’s project manager, Randy Collins of Reynen & Bardis, called the housing market “perfect” for putting such a project on hold but added he doesn’t think it will end up being scaled back.

“I’d hope we don’t have to scale it back,” he said, calling Woodbury “perfect” for that part of Yuba County.

Besides the poor market, Woodbury’s future depends on where Yuba County and Caltrans decide to put a proposed Marysville bypass.

Reynen & Bardis wants the bypass to go through Woodbury, with the southern end at the juncture of Highways 70 and 65. That would ease traffic flow from the new development, said Collins.

The bypass route is expected to be part of the county’s updated general plan, which may be done in 18 to 24 months, said Collins.

“We’re eager to get going when this is resolved,” he said.

John Fleming, the county’s economic development coordinator, said Reynen & Bardis “has to take a close look at the cost of holding options” on land for Woodbury. Those costs have become prohibitive, he said.

“I would hate to see it downsized,” he said, calling Woodbury the county’s first significant development with a master plan that includes parks and schools.

Fleming cited predictions that the housing market will rebound in the spring of 2009.

The county will see 800 new single-family homes this year, down from 1,038 in 2008. But that’s still far more than the 150 new homes built during the 2001-02 budget year, he said.

Appeal-Democrat reporter Rob Young can be reached at 749-4710. You may e-mail him at ryoung@appealdemocrat.com.