Housing / Land Use

Early morning in San Juan Bautista. Photo by Leslie David.

Housing / Land Use

San Juan Bautista approves one of two housing elements

City focusing efforts to get back into compliance with state law; site selected for potential affordable housing.

Location of the 4.7 earthquake outside of Tres Pinos on Oct. 15, 2019.

News

4.7 earthquake shakes San Benito County

Epicenter in the Gabilan Range outside of Tres Pinos.

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It's taken over 20 years, but developer Marty Miller is finally seeing his dream of an active-adult community being built in Hollister. Photo by John Chadwell.

Housing / Land Use

Dream for active-adult homes comes true

Twin Oaks community is now under construction with first sales expected to close in April.

Scott Fuller, developer and member of the San Benito County Business Council, reads a letter of support for the Highway 101 commercial nodes at the Sept. 24 Board of Supervisors meeting. Photo by Noe Magaña.

Housing / Land Use

Supervisors approve rezoning of Highway 101 nodes

Board commits to reviewing commercial development at Betabel, SR129/Searle Road, Rocks Ranch and Livestock 101.

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Alma Smith spoke at the Sept. 16 Hollister City Council meeting and said she never thought she would end up in a homeless shelter. Photos by John Chadwell.

Health

Homeless shelter residents praise program

Two describe their stay at the HOME Resource Center.

Map of potential commercial and industrial node sites in San Benito County as per the 2035 General Plan. Photo provided by San Benito County Business Council.

Housing / Land Use

SBC Business Council supports consideration of Highway 101 commercial nodes

Following the new zoning designation, the Business Council further encourages in-depth review of the opportunities at each node based on individual unique merits and impacts.

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

Agriculture

Ranching for Profit workshop happening Sept. 25

Topics to include transforming a ranch into a sustainable business, cell grazing, and soil improvement and carbon sequestration through conservation practices.

Photos by Robert Eliason.

News

Community walks for Juristac

Over 300 people trek five miles to protest a proposed open pit mining development.

Caltrans attempted to deal with the South County curve on Highway 25 in 2015, but the rerouted portion of the road collapsed just a few months after opening. Now, repairs aren't expected to happen until at least 2022. Photo by John Chadwell.

Transportation

Hwy. 25 repairs near Pinnacles delayed until 2022

An indigenous site was found near the project in 2018.

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Preserve Our Rural Communities (PORC) members rally outside the San Benito County Administration Building on Fourth Street before a public hearing on the Highway 101 commercial nodes on Sept. 10. Photos by Noe Magaña.

Housing / Land Use

Supervisors hear support and concerns over Hwy. 101 commercial nodes

Property owners explain their intentions for development.

Joseph and John Wynn sat through discussion of their cannabis project at the Sept. 3 Hollister City Council meeting. They were ready to show a slide presentation for the project, but were not asked to do so. Photo by John Chadwell.

Business / Economy

Cannabis and smart glass projects moving forward

John Wynn’s 200-acre cannabis campus would be complemented by a 40-acre electromagnetic glass manufacturing operation.

A vacant lot between Muckelemi Street and Highway 156 in San Juan Bautista is one option for an affordable housing site that would comply with the new draft housing element. Photo by Noe Magaña.

Housing / Land Use

SJB planners yet to choose affordable housing site

Housing element will go to City Council after site is selected.

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

Community Opinions

COMMUNITY OPINION: A well planned process

County Planning Commissioner Eduardo Navarro writes about the proposed Highway 101 commercial nodes.

San Juan Bautista resident Cara Vonk urged the San Benito County Planning Commission to capitalize on the unique landscape of the county. Photo by Noe Magaña.

Housing / Land Use

Acreage for two Hwy. 101 commercial nodes reduced

Betabel and Route 129/Searle Road are adjacent to prime farmland.

At the Aug. 19 Hollister City Council meeting, Councilman Marty Richman said that Mayor Ignacio Velazquez would rather argue about the General Plan than do something about it. Photos by John Chadwell.

Government / Politics

Infighting over housing development splits Hollister council

3-2 vote approves pre-zoning for a project on Buena Vista Road.

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