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Newman Community Conservation Area
City of Newman

In 2014, the City of Newman acquired approximately 100 acres of former agricultural land, planning to develop an environmental and community amenity that would (1) provide treatment for the City’s currently untreated stormwater runoff prior to discharge into the Newman Wasteway and San Joaquin River; (2) benefit overall air, water, and habitat quality in the Newman area; and (3) offer opportunities for nature-oriented open space recreation and nature education that are not currently available in the area. This new facility is the Newman Community Conservation Area (NCCA).
When completed, the NCCA will support an SWRCB-funded constructed stormwater treatment wetland, a DFW-funded wetland and native grassland restoration project, a second constructed wetland for agricultural tailwater treatment (collaborative with UC Merced’s Environmental Systems Graduate Group), and the Newman Nature Park, with a parcel-wide system of bicycle/pedestrian trails and facilities for nature- and conservation-oriented education, such as a native plant and rainwise demonstration gardens, outdoor classroom areas, nature-themed play structures, a community plaza, and bilingual English/Spanish interpretive signage. The NCCA will be the first facility of its kind in the western San Joaquin Valley.
Redtail Consulting was initially retained to conduct resource agency outreach and develop a CEQA and permit strategy for the four NCCA projects. Our scope subsequently expanded to include​
  • development of the NCCA Master Plan
  • preparation of the CEQA document for the NCCA Master Plan and projects
  • preparation of permit applications and negotiation of permit terms for the first two projects at the NCCA
  • separate CEQA Addenda addressing evolution in the designs of the first two projects
  • development of environmental Special Technical Provisions for construction of the first two projects, planned to break ground in fall 2022
  • bid- and construction-phase environmental services for the first two projects
  • ongoing assistance with grant applications to support funding of the remaining  NCCA projects​
With in-person meetings suspended during the first two years of the COVID pandemic, and with four separate  projects planned and four separate design teams involved, we also facilitated a series of innovative virtual charrette sessions in 2021 to assist the design teams in dovetailing the projects for maximum function and value benefit. Over the next several years, we will be preparing the NEPA document and permit applications for the Newman Nature Park, which was recently awarded federal funding.
​Photos courtesy of Vollmar Natural Lands Consulting