We have a large group of residents from Best Rd., John Smith Rd, Bicyclist group and various other interested residents in the county. This could impact a lot of San Benito County and we have been struggling to get the word out. We have been meeting for over 4 years with county staff, Planning Commission and Supervisors.
The county is proposing a Resource Recovery Park (RRP) on John Smith Rd. 1/4 mile east of the existing landfill on the right. As residents we have been asking questions and getting no answers since at least 2010.
The EIR done on this project estimates 433 ADDITIONAL vehicle trips per day on John Smith and Fairview Roads.
We are very worried about air quality, traffic, road conditions, noise quality, water contamination (the water from this site flows down toward Hollister), fire danger and wildlife habitat. The EIR lists the species to be effected as: red legged frog, San Joaquin Kit fox, tricolor blackbird, burrowing owl, whip snake, American badger, Tiger salamander and it is in a natural deer and wild pig crossing.
The county is NOT able to give us projected expenses or income for this project. We have asked repeatedly for numbers on the return on investment and staff tells us that 'government does not do that'. If a private business man was starting a business he would certainly know this information. It is all very vague yet it is going forward.
We are very much in favor of recycling but not in this agricultural setting in the middle of dry grass land, with very little water for drinking, landscaping and most importantly fire protection.
The road conditions are also not appropriate for heavy truck traffic. John Smith Rd. is already taxed by the existing landfill traffic and large trucks bringing out of county garbage. It seems it would be better suited close to a major transportation source so that this material would not have to be trucked through our county and damaging our roads.
The topography of this site is not conducive to an industrial area. There is an elevation difference on the site of approximately 90 feet. A seasonal creek runs through the property. The entrance is on a blind turn which could prove to be very dangerous for large trucks entering and exiting.
We also worry about the county spending the money required on a project of this magnitude without any financial guarantees. The country is not planning on putting in any of the infrastructure to support businesses who occupy the site which makes interest in the site doubtful. At the last Planning Commission meeting 3 companies were invited by Ms. Rose, A Bio-Diesel company who would process 2 million gallons per year but most of the tax revenue would admittedly be going out of county, a Farming Plastic recycling company who was not told that the county would not be providing any infrastructure and the last an Anaerobic Digester (fertilizer plant). This could possibly produce more odor than the composting we fought against and won.
The Board of Supervisors are proposing to change the zoning from Agricultural zoning to a new RRP zone that they created just for this project.
It is not a case of "not in my backyard'. We are truly concerned. If it is financially good for our county and does not create a negative impact we would understand because Lord knows the county needs money. But no one can say that is the case and the negative impact on our county seems great. With county employees taking a cut in pay and benefits, it seems that the country can not afford this project.
This is a very brief summary of what we are concerned about. We have reams of paper, reports, e-mails and correspondence over the past 4 years. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions,
Sally Silva
There are two meetings scheduled for Monday, January 27 and Tuesday, January 28 at the Immaculate Conception Hall in Tres Pinos at 6:30. Supervisors Margie Barrios and Jerry Muenzer are scheduled to attend the Monday meeting and Supervisor Robert Rivas will attend the Tuesday meeting, Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz had not yet confirmed, at the time of this writing, for the Tuesday meeting.