Lea este artículo en español aquí.
Five years after the Hollister officials approved pre-zoning of properties for a proposed vehicle research project, the city issued a notice of preparation seeking community input on the scope of the project’s environmental studies.
The 30-day period to provide comments ends at 5 p.m. on Jan. 5.
According to the notice, the project would be built on a 238-acre site at the intersection of Hwy 156 and San Felipe Road. Part of the project involves annexing the area into the city limits.
The project is proposed by Hollister Research Campus LLC, a company registered in Gilroy. Joseph Paul Giacalone is listed as the manager, according to state records.
It’s separated into four areas that include an automotive test track, private commercial spaces, restaurants and lodging, and a trade school.
“The research campus (Areas 1 and 2) is envisioned as a facility to attract private sector auto/truck/motorcycle manufacturers, autonomous and controlled transportation technologies and research, independent concept design companies, trade schools and other associated multidisciplinary businesses focused on the automotive sector and automotive technology,” the notice reads.
The notice states the property labeled as Development Area 4 in the map is proposed for light industrial uses. Karson Klauer, who represents the property owners and is a former Hollister City Council member, said no project is currently planned for that section. He said it was included in the environmental studies to make the Hollister Research Campus project contiguous to city limits.
Among the factors that will be evaluated, according to the notice, as probable environmental effects in the report are aesthetics, agriculture, biological resources, greenhouse emissions and traffic.
The notice states the project is proposed in an area mostly made up of “poor soil chemistry” and that about 31 acres are currently used for agriculture. It adds that the proposed location is in flood zones and includes about 10 acres of riparian habitat and regulated wetlands.
“The remainder of the site is fallow and regularly disced, or occasionally dry farmed,” the notice states.
The city originally issued the notice in September 2021 and held a scoping meeting on Oct. 21. A new notice was issued because of the time that has passed and the changes made to the original project description.
Comments submitted during the original comment period will still be considered in the updated environmental studies, according to the notice.
Hollister Research Campus is a smaller version of the Strada Verde Innovation Park, a controversial project defeated by 59.5% of San Benito County voters in 2020.
That project was proposed adjacent to the Santa Clara-San Benito county line near Hwy 25. On 2,777 acres, it proposed retail shops, restaurants, an automotive technology and research center, vehicle tracks and a hotel.
Following its defeat, developer Newport Pacific Land Company said it would continue to pursue the project through the traditional county permitting process, but paused the environmental studies process in March 2023.
Spokesperson and former county supervisor Anthony Botelho said the project “for all intents and purposes is done in San Benito County.”
“With the passage of Measure A and the anti-business sentiment of the current Board of Supervisors, it wasn’t worth pursuing,” he said.
Measure A is a voter-approved initiative that requires voters to approve changes in zoning of agricultural, rural and rangeland to other uses.
Community members may submit comments by mail or email to:
Erica Fraser, Senior Planner
Hollister Community Development Department
339 Fifth Street
Hollister, CA 95023
Email: efraser.4leaf@hollister.ca.gov
Related BenitoLink articles
We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. Producing local news is expensive, and community support keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service nonprofit news.