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A year after the Hollister City Council rescinded its newly adopted General Plan following a successful referendum by the local activist group Hollister Guardians, an updated document is heading to the Planning Commission for consideration on March 26.
The General Plan serves as a jurisdiction’s blue print for growth for the next 20 years.
Among the major changes in the new draft document is a reduction in the area defined as the sphere of influence, from 4,068 acres to 1,645 acres. Along with that reduction is an increase in acreage within the city itself.
One of the focal points of the referendum to rescind the General Plan was the city’s expanded sphere of influence—a planning boundary that defines the city’s probable future boundary and service area. The 2040 General Plan approved by the city in December 2024 and rescinded in March 2025, expanded the sphere of influence by adding 3,000 acres, compared to the 2005 General Plan.
While the new draft plan reduces the sphere of influence, it increases the city’s size by 166 acres and planning areas by 3,131 acres, as shown in the General Plan Land Use Designation table included in the two versions of the document. The majority of the planning areas are located within the city limit.
The increase in inter-city acreage in the planning areas are primarily in the residential estate and low density residential land use designations totalling 2,630 acres.
According to the General Plan, the residential estate category is intended for single-family units on large lots and the low density residential category is intended for single-family detached and attached units and duplexes.
The new document also changes areas identified as special planning areas by reducing the areas previously known as the Buena Vista Specific Plan Area and removing the Southwest Specific Plan Area (located along San Juan-Hollister Road) and the East Side Specific Plan Area A and B, both located east of Fairview Road.
Though all the areas were identified for residential and mixed-use development, some included options for commercial and industrial uses.
The draft General Plan adds Hollister downtown “Old Town” residential, West Gateway, North Gateway and Meridian Street Extension planning areas. The majority of the downtown and “Old Town” areas are developed.
Other major changes include the addition of planning areas for the Union Road and Buena Vista Road areas and the removal of a chapter titled “Specific Plan Areas in the Land Use and Community Design Element.”
The Buena Vista Road chapter states that the city encourages residential uses along the road but also has a goal to preserve existing agricultural uses to the north and west of that area.
According to the policies included in the draft General Plan, the city’s goal for this area is to incorporate bicycle lanes into new developments, have access to new developments be limited to Buena Vista Road, have a mix of residential unit types and conduct a study to design and implement traffic-calming measures.
For the Union Road area that is located near the San Benito Street intersection, the city’s goal is to create a mix of medium-to high-density residential units. The document adds the city wants to preserve elements of the existing orchard landscaping and have areas conducive to retail sales and community gatherings.
The Planning Commission meeting, where officials may consider changes or recommend the document move for approval as-is to the City Council, is scheduled for 6 p.m. on March 26 at City Hall, 375 Fifth Street. The agenda is here.
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