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The consent agenda for the San Juan Bautista City Council meeting on April 15, which ordinarily would be passed with little comment, proved to be the source of a lengthy discussion over several issues, particularly street closure times for the April 25 Rib Cookoff.
Several council members raised objections to adding an extra day, April 24, to the previously scheduled three-day closure, which involves blocking Third Street from Franklin to Muckelemi streets and certain side streets.
“I am getting complaints from the businesses on Third Street,” said councilmember Jose Aranda. “With our struggling businesses in town, I am concerned that we are closing too early. I want to be sure that we are not impacting the businesses that are open.”
The resolution called for extending the closure to 5 p.m. on April 25 to allow vendors to set up. Aranda suggested 7 p.m. as a better time. He also requested that Jason Williams, the event organizer, report how much money the event generated for the city.
Councilmember Scott Freels also objected to the early closure, saying it would make it more difficult for people who lived in the closed-off areas to get their trash out that day.
“Will these people have to drag their garbage cans down to Fourth Street?” he said.
Councilmember Jackie Morris-Lopez seconded Freels’ remarks, saying the cookoff began as a two-day event, which she thought was more appropriate.
“As Councilmember Aranda said, this really affects the businesses downtown,” she said.
Collick said she would have the staff look into what the city gains in revenues for special events and what the costs are in terms of employee time.
Linda Ginn, of Vintage Rose Antiques & Collectibles, said the street closure and the events held in town do not help her business, and she opposed an extra day.
“If you are going to close the street,” she said, “it should not be that early. They should set up on the morning of the event. If they have to get up at 4 a.m., that’s what you do.”
On a motion offered by Freels, the council voted to move the closure to 5 a.m. on April 25. Freels, Jordan and Morris-Lopez voted in favor, and Aranda voted against it. Councilmember E. J. Sabathia was absent from the meeting.
A special meeting of the council will be held on April 17 at 4 p.m. to consider a staff recommendation to change the setup time to 9 p.m. on April 24.
Urban Growth Boundary
The council approved, without discussion, the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the County of San Benito and the City of San Juan Bautista regarding development within the city’s planning area, which had been passed to the council during the special April 7 Urban Growth Boundary/Sphere of Influence meeting.
The MOU outlines steps that allow the city to have a voice in approving building projects in areas directly outside its boundaries. It says the city would be allowed to voice its support or opposition to any new projects, and the county would give the opinion “great weight.” The measure now goes to the San Benito County Board of Supervisors for review and a vote.
The council also moved to accept the fire contract with the city of Hollister that was rejected at its March 20 meeting.
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