The Council of Governments is San Benito County’s regional transportation planning agency. The Council of Governments is committed to enhancing and improving transportation through:planning for the future, financing and constructing projects, funding bus transit, promoting ridesharing, and maintaining emergency call boxes.
The Board of Directors are five elected officials appointed from the Hollister City Council, County Board of Supervisors and San Juan Bautista City Council. The current Board Members include: Anthony Botelho, Chair (San Benito County), Victor Gomez, Vice Chair (City of Hollister), Jaime De La Cruz (San Benito County), Tony Boch (City of San Juan Bautista), and Robert Scattini (City of Hollister).
The Board of Directors meets every third Thursday at 3:00 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors Chambers located at 481 Fourth Street in Hollister. Below are highlights from the December 2013 meetings.
COG Issues Draft Regional Housing Needs Methodology
The California Department of Housing and Community Development determines a regional housing need for each Councils of Governments every eight years. The San Benito COG is then required to prepare a Regional Housing Needs Plan which allocates housing to the Cities and County. The allocation of housing to each of the Cities and to the County is used to update the Housing Element of the local jurisdictions’ General Plan, which makes each agency eligible to apply for Housing and Community Development Block Grants.
At the December meeting, San Benito COG reviewed methodology for allocating 2,194 housing units to the Cities and County. The total number of housing units is further divided by income category: 23.66% very-low, 14.40% low, 19.60% moderate, and 42.30% above moderate. The Board issued proposed methodology which would allocate housing using forecasted employment as the sole factor. This policy direction recognizes that locating housing close to employment lessens impacts to our transportation system.
Bus Stop Improvements Scheduled for West Hollister
The Local Transportation Authority approved a construction contract to install two new bus stop shelters. The Authority is implementing its plan to upgrade bus stops with passenger amenities including seating, shelter, and lighting. The first shelter is located near Central Avenue and Graf Road. The second is located at the Health Foundation on Felice Drive. Construction will start sometime in January and will last around two weeks.
Other Points of Interest
COG’s annual financial audit comes out clean.
Contact:
Council of San Benito County Governments
330 Tres Pinos Rd., Ste. C7
Hollister, CA 95023
831.637.7665