Editor’s note: This article was updated as we incorrectly attributed a quote to San Juan Bautista City Councilmember Jackie Morris-Lopez, who said she agreed with removing the study areas. This article was written by BenitoLink Intern Camille Mattish. Lea este articulo en español aqui.
In a 4-1 vote, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors agreed Feb. 6 to remove four “New Community Study Areas” from the county’s General Plan. Supervisor Kollin Kosmicki introduced the motion and Supervisor Bea Gonzales voted “no.”
Several community members expressed concern regarding the removal of the study areas, saying it will only cost more money and staff time to amend the General Plan.
The General Plan, which serves as the blueprint for residential and commercial development in the county, was adopted in 2015.
At the commission’s Dec. 13 meeting, San Benito County Senior Planner Michael Kelly said the four designated study areas were originally “identified as potentially appropriate for more intense development.”
The four areas are:
- Bolsa, west of Hwy 25 between Hollister and the Santa Clara County line
- Union, west of Union Road and south of Hwy 156
- San Juan, west of San Juan Bautista that stretches down Hwy 156 to Hwy 101
- Fairview, east of Fairview Road from near McCloskey Road going north to Hwy 156
At the December meeting Kelly said, “The new community policy sets criteria for having new master plan communities in the unincorporated area, intended as a way to help try to absorb population growth that was foreseen at the time of the General Plan’s update about a decade ago.”
At the Feb. 6 meeting, Kelly said that the study areas would not be automatically approved, but were instead expected to set criteria on the function, look and location of any proposed projects.
Kelly added the 2022 board had voted to begin the process to eliminate or modify the study areas.
Supervisor Angela Curro said the goal was to remove the maps and text about New Community Study Areas found in the San Benito County 2023 General Plan Land Use Element.
Several community members voiced concerns about removing the study areas. Elia Salinas said, “There is no need to take it off the General Plan. They’ve been there for a long time, what has happened? If you take it off the General Plan, an individual is going to have to come here, they’re going to have to spend money to amend the General Plan.”
She added that having the study areas does not impact the county financially.
Curro said, “I am not supportive of going backwards from something that had started such a long time ago. I am concerned about economic vitality in our community, but I don’t feel like stopping this from happening. I think infrastructure is our No. 1 priority and revenue generation, and if we have to push pause for a moment and step back and reassess, I think that’s what we need to do.”
The process to remove the study areas began in August 2022 when then-supervisor Bob Tiffany suggested eliminating them as a way to refute claims that housing was going to be built as part of the proposed Strada Verde Innovation Park commercial development close to the Santa Clara-San Benito county line.
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