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More than 55 local contractors, business owners and community leaders attended the Hollister City Council meeting on Feb. 2 in a show of solidarity, as 16 of them expressed deep frustration with the city’s building and planning departments.
While the public comment section of the meeting is usually limited to 30 minutes, the speakers took nearly an hour to describe what they called a highly inefficient system characterized by shifting regulations, exorbitant fees and extreme delays that prevent local businesses from opening and residents from repairing homes.
“I work with building departments everywhere in a 100-mile radius,” said architectural planner Jon Coulter. “The reason I’m here, and everybody else is here, is because what we’re dealing with is a high level of incompetence. No other building department operates this way.”
Several of those attending and speaking have previously been interviewed by BenitoLink concerning their interactions with the Building Department and city-contracted planning inspectors 4Leaf.
BenitoLink has previously reported on those issues in a series of special reports, which are listed at the end of this article.
Most have spoken off the record, out of a fear of angering city officials, and that concern was expressed by several of the speakers, including Coulter, who said during public comment, “I’m nervous about being up here because I have to deal with the building department. Everyone in here is probably afraid of retribution, you know, as am I to a certain extent.”
Others, like Realtor Jason Noble, spoke about the difficulty of interactions with the building department, which can tempt contractors to do work without permits and risk the consequences.
“These people are frustrated,” he said, “and I don’t blame them. One of my major concerns is the health and safety of Hollister’s residents. You can’t help but realize people are already working without permits because of the length of time they take to get them and the high cost.”
Several speakers identified city building official Gabriel Martinez as the central figure behind the department’s issues.
Contractor Julio Noriega, referring to homeowner Miriam Castillo, who gave up trying to build an accessory dwelling unit after complications with the city, said, “She’s not going to build it. She’s scared of Gabriel Martinez. Who here feels they’ve been mistreated by Gabriel Martinez? Say ‘aye.’”
A dozen or so of those attending responded affirmatively.
BenitoLink attempted to contact Martinez by e-mail, asking for his response to the speakers’ complaints. As of publication, he had not responded.
Throughout the public comment period, Mayor Roxanne Stevens encouraged the speakers to contact her office or that of the other council members to discuss the matter further.
Hollister Planning Commissioner Peter Hernandez, who attended via Zoom, said he believed a thorough review of both the building and planning departments is needed, and that measurable improvement goals should be outlined and met.
“Quite frankly, changes need to be made,” he said. “City Council members and city manager, the situation is bad and needs your immediate attention.”
Hernandez said he has already made six recommendations to the Planning Commission for amending the planning department process, including “know your rights” information given to every applicant, a zero-fee preliminary review process, a three- to five-day required response time, a two-week “no response” trigger for an appeal, an organizational flowchart and documentation required throughout the process.
In response to an email from BenitoLink, City Manager Ana Cortez wrote after the meeting that the testimony of the speakers “was both powerful and valuable” and led her to meet the next morning with “relevant city leadership” to designate improvements to the permitting process and customer service as an “operational emergency.”
“As a result,” she said, “we will be developing a specific action plan to address the current backlog, improve customer service, expand public counter hours, and increase team capacity. We are treating the public comments as constructive criticism of a city operation that clearly requires improvement.”
She concluded, “The depth and volume of last night’s public comment make it clear that rethinking and reinventing our permitting process is imperative.”
BenitoLink attempted to contact council members Rudy Picha, Rolan Resendiz, and Priscilla de Anda, as well as Stevens, for comments. As of publication time, none have responded.
Council member Dolores Morales did not attend the meeting.
Speakers during public comment, with YouTube links
Jason Noble, quoted above, also said that city staff are contradicting Hollister’s policies of supporting economic development, with some small businesses being held up for six to 12 months or longer before they can open.
Scott McPhail of Purple Cross Rx expressed frustration over a red-tagged property, claiming his tenants had to vacate because of a “fool’s errand” over already approved permits. He alleged he was “blackballed” by staff and forced to pay for hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary improvements.
Chris Peto, a commercial developer, described his inability to file planning applications despite spending more than $100,000 on consulting fees. He said the city’s rules are in constant flux, which has halted a million-dollar investment.
Mike Nino said the building department forced his tenant, Cita’s Cafe, to pay $4,000 for permits and plans for a space where no structural changes were made, and contrasted Hollister’s “punitive” environment with the helpfulness of the building department in King City
Carlos Rivera, representing K&S Properties, detailed extensive delays, including a nine-month wait for a “simple restaurant remodel permit,” which resulted in lost rent for landlords, unpaid contractors, and lost tax revenue for the city.
Delia Gutierrez said that 4Leaf building inspector Kono Soong harassed her while she was trying to submit the plans her designer husband drew, saying, “Your husband doesn’t know what he’s doing.”
Rob Bernosky, who recently opened a business in Hollister, said the planning department gave him inconsistent instructions and required a permit for a medical office that underwent no improvements. He said the constantly shifting rules and last-minute “occupancy permit” requirements created hurdles for his business.
John Coulter, a designer with 40 years of experience, is quoted in part above.
Jose Villalpando, of Villa & Sons Enterprises, said it took eight months and $16,000 to get a permit for a fire-damaged home in Hollister, compared to 60 days and $1,600 in Monterey. He also said a 16-acre commercial project of his has been on hold for eight years due to an incomplete general plan.
Yolanda Leon, said the city is currently in violation of state laws such as Assembly Bill 2234, which was intended to eliminate planning delays. She claimed the city is undermining the law by refusing to accept applications, thereby preventing the start of the legally required 30-day processing clock.
Art Correa, CEO of California Construction Company, compared Hollister’s lengthy submittal wait times with those in Palo Alto and Morgan Hill, where permits are often obtained much faster. He also pointed out a significant cost disparity, saying that a pool permit for one of his clients in Hollister cost nearly $8,000, while San Benito County charges $2,800.
Joe Tonascia, recently honored as the Farm Bureau’s 2025 “Farmer of the Year,” said, among other things, that he had been required to install a special strap for a drain pipe for a sink which a later inspector said he had never seen before, and that he paid $5,500 to have plans inspected only to find out that the no one from the city ever looked at them.
Julio Noriega, an electrical contractor, pointed to outgoing interim city manager Jim Pia as the only person in the city capable of moving projects forward while describing the building department as “out of control.” He also said that commercial property values are dropping because people are “traumatized” by the city’s building process.
Bertha Reyes, a homeowner, said she has been unable to move back into her home for five years after a minor fire because of constantly changing permit requirements, and that even after following instructions and hiring contractors, new demands are made at every inspection.
Alfredo Valenzuela, who owns a labor camp, said that he has had to deal with onerous regulations such as a requirement to install two 20,0000-gallon tanks on the property and a decision to declare a well on the property “disadvantaged.”
Miriam Castillo, a homeowner mentioned by Julio Noriega as wanting to build an ADU, said she had spent $30,000 on the project and cannot finish it because of shifting laws and a lack of clear guidance. She concluded by asking the council, “Could you please do something to help these people in this town? Everybody is here complaining and nobody listens.”
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BL Special Report: Hollister homeowner still unable to occupy home five years after fire
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