Back in 1993, the proposal for the Diablo Grande planned community in Stanislaus County was huge. The 29,500-acre gated community and golf resort located south of Patterson was set to remake the region. Over the next few years, however, failed environmental reviews and a series of lawsuits derailed the project. Only the first phase, consisting of 2,300 acres and a few hundred homes, were completed.

A vision that included up to 10,000 homes, a resort hotel and spa, six golf courses, an equestrian center, vineyards, a winery, and commercial properties seemed to be dead in the water. Then in 2008, World International LLC purchased the property for $20 million with plans of its own. Those plans were dampened when the community’s Legends golf course closed in March 2014 during the California drought.

New homes site at Diablo Grande / Photo by Justin / CC BY

Now, World International is trying to move forward with what it’s calling a “right-sized” plan for the resort community in hopes they can finally complete the project. The Modesto Bee reports that the new plan puts a focus on single-family homes and cuts down on other residential applications. Revised plans call for 2,174 detached houses (up from 1,111) while dropping the number of condos and townhomes to 180. In total, the number of residential units is up from 2,038 to 2,354.

In a change from the initial layout, homes will be grouped together in residential neighborhoods rather than spread out across the hills. The idea is to create more space for trails and open land. Plans also call for a convention center, a boutique-style inn, general store, and smaller retail shops. While the Legends golf course will remain closed, the Ranch Golf Course will be improved and stay open.

Currently, the developer is in the middle of renovating the Diablo Grande clubhouse and building a new convenience store. D.R. Horton is building and selling 500 houses that had already been approved.

An investment in infrastructure will be required if the developer wants to see these plans come to fruition. Concerns about water and sewer usage are among those raised by current residents. World International says they have been holding meetings with residents to make sure their concerns were heard and both sides work together. There is currently no timeline in place for the new plans.