With the intent to increase future county revenue, the San Benito County Planning Commission approved zoning changes to four nodes along Highway 101 totaling about 326.5 acres. The changes will head to the county Board of Supervisors for final approval.
The change to Regional Commercial (C-3) Zoning District is meant to spur new business, including hotels, that will attract motorists traveling on Highway 101. The four nodes are known as Betabel, Route 129/Searle Road, Rocks Ranch and Livestock 101.
Developer and San Benito County Business Council member Scott Fuller voiced his support for the commercial nodes along Highway 101. He said the process began over 10 years ago, which involved exploring sites for commercial development and making recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.
“This is not redoing the General Plan,” Fuller said. “This is enacting the General Plan. This is making the zoning consistent with the General Plan which went through two to three years in its preparation, including many public hearings where a lot of input was given.”
Fuller said that along with protections in the language that address residents’ concerns, the commercial nodes will not add to traffic, but draw from existing traffic.
Twelve San Benito County residents, including seven from Aromas, spoke against the rezoning and cited concerns over water usage, loss of agriculture land and an increase in traffic. Some questioned if the developments would even increase revenue.
“Where is the fiscal impact analysis that would determine if this is necessary?” asked Gina Paolini, member of Preserve our Rural Communities (PORC), a group of area residents working to protect rural communities in San Benito County, according to its website.
San Juan Bautista City Councilman and attorney Dan De Vries spoke on behalf of the property owners and said county supervisors were looking at ways to increase revenue when the county was having a difficult time doing so.
De Vries said there are two extreme options when dealing with the Highway 101 corridor: to never build commercially or to build out all of it.
“We thought that there might be a better alternative and that is to achieve balance,” De Vries said. “That is to have Highway 101 in San Benito be a scenic highway with some breaks in advances so we can derive some type of commercial revenue for the county.”
That revenue, De Vries said, could then be used for fixing roads, for schools and other things important to residents. He added that the rest of the properties along Highway 101 should be preserved to maintain the region’s character.
Rocks Ranch owner Ben Bingaman said that while he understood their concerns, residents need to face reality. He said 2% of the Rocks Ranch node will be developed and have minimal impact on surrounding areas.
“The county needs help and it needs revenue,” Bingaman said.
After the commissioners approved, without discussion, the zoning changes, residents said they felt the commissioners had come to the dais with their minds set and without considering public input.
Commissioner Valerie Egland later responded and said the silent votes were because the nodes have been in progress for five years through various sessions, and the expectation was to continue moving the general plan forward. She encouraged the public to continue to be active in government meetings.
“Unless you come to meetings to listen to how your government is working, to listen to what is going on in your county, you come in clueless when something is involving you,” Egland said.
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