The San Benito County Resource Management Agency has scheduled two Strada Verde Innovation Park (SVIP) environmental impact report scoping meetings for the public.
The meetings are set for April 27 at 10 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. Both meetings will be held at the Board of Supervisors Chambers located at 481 Fourth Street in Hollister.
The meetings can also be accessed on Zoom, or by dialing one of the following telephone numbers: (408) 638-0968 or (1+669) 900-6833. To access the meeting, enter the webinar ID and passcode below.
Meeting 1: April 27 at 10 a.m.
webinar ID: 818 8356 6493; passcode: 919237
Meeting 2: April 28 at 6 p.m.
webinar ID: 889 7494 1304; passcode: 487210
The county resource agency describes Strada Verde as a 2,767-acre project site located in the northwest corner of San Benito County along the southern boundary of Santa Clara County. The site is bounded by the Union Pacific Railroad “Hollister Spur Line” to the northeast, Highway 101 to the west, the Pajaro River to the northwest, and agricultural land to the south. Surrounding land uses include open space and agricultural land. TriCal, Inc., an agricultural chemical facility, is located on the southwest side of Hwy 25 approximately 70 feet from the project site.
According to a county news release proposed land uses include testing grounds, a research park, e-commerce, commercial, greenway, agricultural, biological preserve and infrastructure.
- The testing grounds district would serve as an area for testing new technology in the mobility sector, including electrified and automated vehicles.
- The research park district would provide space for research, office, and light manufacturing uses.
- The E-commerce district proposes a range of commercial and light industrial facilities, including distribution and logistics, data centers, research and development, and large-footprint laboratories.
- The commercial district would consist of ancillary commercial land uses including hospitality and retail establishments, as well as public service facilities such as fire and police stations.
- The agricultural district would be limited to agriculture uses including row crop production and the use of new agricultural technologies and practices.
- The greenway districts would be located in the center of the proposed project area and along the north and south perimeters; these areas would serve several functions including the provision of open space, buffer zones, and stormwater management.
- Two areas within the proposed project area would be designated as biological preserves to protect and enhance natural resources. The preserves would provide mitigation areas for wetlands and special-status species disturbed in the development of the project.
- The infrastructure districts would include services for potable water storage, water and wastewater treatment and storage, and street rights-of-way.
The resource agency said the EIR will evaluate the potential physical and environmental impacts of the project for each of the environmental topics outlined in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines.
It added the EIR will evaluate and identify the significant environmental effects that could result if the park is developed. San Benito County will rely on the EIR for subsequent project phases and development, including entitlements for future development within the project area.
The resource agency said given the size and scope of the Strada Verde project, it anticipates there could be environmental effects within any CEQA topic area. Therefore, the EIR will, at a minimum, include and evaluate these environmental categories:
- agriculture/forestry resources
- air quality
- biological resources
- cultural resources
- energy
- geology and soils
- greenhouse gas emissions
- hazards and hazardous materials
- hydrology and water quality
- mineral resources
- noise
- population and housing
- public services
- recreation
- transportation
- tribal cultural resources
- utilities and service systems
- wildfire
Once the EIR process is complete, the county will determine if it has been completed in accordance with CEQA. If so, it will consider certification of the EIR at a public hearing
EIR certification does not assure project approval.
Other related BenitoLink articles:
https://benitolink.com/supervisors-give-strada-verde-developer-green-light-for-project-application/
https://benitolink.com/strada-verde-developer-to-decide-on-projects-future-within-2-weeks/
https://benitolink.com/strada-verde-project-in-limbo-developers-weigh-options/
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