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The frequent skyward grind of one winged craft tugging another winged but motor-less craft compels me to look up and wonder. Those pilots must see from above what I can only see by the photography that spilled from my mailbox.
The arrival of map and photos gripped my interest specially the view of Hollister from the sky. Looking at the greenery surrounding our town reminded me of an encircling Christmas wreath with rich splashes of fir and pine. Upon further examination much of that greenery displayed an alarming enclosing red border line. In fact the photo showed four green places surrounding our town but enclosed by red lines. The printing explained that these areas were agreed by the city council to become residential developments. Because only one council member Resendiz voted “No” the issue flew threw on the wings of the mayor and vice mayor.
Most townspeople do not want to lose our Christmas wreath of green because we like to eat. Agriculture is food and space. Milk does not come from a bottle. Meat does not come from a package. Fruit does not come from a bin. We have seen this video before as we have already lost a valley of apricot trees.
So far because our greenery is alive and living well after Christmas we can easily preserve our wreath by adding chickens and eggs to celebrate spring then replace the additions with fruit followed by peppers then with walnuts and so on. The point is we never want to lose our wreath of greenery. As long as we produce food in open space we live and thrive.
Alarmingly one corner of our green wreath displays a red lined space nearly as large as our city. The great space is Strada Verde, a total misnomer as it will replace verde or green with houses.
Three other spaces bordered by red lines further demolish our green wreath. If the city council has its way, the greens will never again decorate our city with the orange blush of apricots or red tint of cherries or support winsome ornaments of cattle and horses with tinsel splashes of creeks and rivers. Beware of this city council!
(Editor’s notes: (1) Because the four areas referenced in the flyer are outside the city limits (though the majority of the properties are within its sphere of influence) the City Council does not have jurisdiction over them. Any projects proposed would have to go through the county process unless those properties are annexed into the city, which requires Local Agency Formation Commission’s (LAFCO) approval.) (2)The area referenced above is not the property where Strada Verde was proposed. The project was proposed (and a current incomplete application on hold) near the Santa Clara/San Benito county line along the Pajaro River.)