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San Benito High School District Superintendent Shawn Tennenbaum told the San Benito County Planning Commission on Sept. 10 that the district is now considering a property south of Hollister as a possible site for a future high school.
Tennenbaum emphasized there is no project in place yet, only early planning to account for new housing developments in the area and the potential arrival of more students.
Commissioners agreed the proposed location, east of Ridgemark and the new Gavilan College campus, was appropriate, and requested an environmental impact report from the district, as well as an amendment to the county’s General Plan to designate the land for public use.
“We’re looking at where the developments are occurring, where they’re planned, where they’re proposed,” Tennenbaum said. “And then we’re looking at how many students could be generated.”
The 49-acre property, purchased by the district in 1997, is located between Airline Highway and Best Road.
Tennenbaum said housing growth south of Hollister prompted the district to consider the site, since new households would likely mean more students. He added that this does not mean the district is abandoning its other potential site on Wright Road in west Hollister, but is planning ahead for new development. He pointed to approved projects such as Lands of Lee and Dividend Homes, as well as new proposals filed under California’s “builder’s remedy” provision.
That provision makes it harder for jurisdictions without a state-approved housing plan to reject projects that include affordable housing. It allows developers to bypass local zoning rules until the jurisdiction’s housing plan—known as a Housing Element—is certified by the state.
San Benito County does not yet have its Housing Element, making it one of 79 jurisdictions—of 539 statewide—without an approved plan.
Tennenbaum noted that two builder’s remedy projects, Lands of Lima and Chen Multifamily Housing, have submitted development applications.
According to the district’s count, those two developments alone could bring nearly 400 new students.
“Those are all developments that we have either tracked through the county or the city,” Tennenbaum said. “Some of those could be under construction, some are proposed, some are approved. So, somewhere in the pipeline of whether or not a project is moving through to fruition. We are monitoring that, making sure that we are aligned with the county and the city.”
Commissioners agreed the site was appropriate for a high school. “If I had to pick a site, I think it would be this one, simply because it’s not paving over prime farmland,” said Commissioner Robert Gibson.
Commissioner Vincent Ringheden agreed that the property could work for a high school, but questioned how students would access it on foot or by bike.
Tennenbaum replied that the site, in front of Airline Highway, would not be walkable. “It will be a commuter high school. You will be driving there,” he said.
“Airline Highway would be our neighbor,” Tennenbaum added. “That means noise, pollution, emissions, etc. But if the county is moving in that direction, if you’re going to develop east of Fairview and into South County, then the district has to create options.”
Commissioner Richard Way cautioned that the district might be “jumping the gun,” noting that the builder’s remedy projects driving the discussion have not yet been approved and “may never happen.”
Tennenbaum acknowledged the risk but said the district “has to effectively plan” for the possibility that they will be approved.
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