The San Benito County Courthouse is moving. But the question
remains whether locals’ opposition would help reverse a state
agency’s decision to place it outside downtown, and Sheriff Curtis
Hill expressed concern Monday that too much debate could lead to
delays and possibly jeopardize the state funds.
The San Benito County Courthouse is moving. But the question remains whether locals’ opposition would help reverse a state agency’s decision to place it outside downtown, and Sheriff Curtis Hill expressed concern Monday that too much debate could lead to delays and possibly jeopardize the state funds.
Two possible sites have been named. One is at the old Fremont School – which is heavily favored by Hollister business owners and local officials. A state agency recently chose the alternative site on Flynn Road near the county jail because there would be additional time and costs involved with building at the old school site.
The move remains a hot topic among locals, and Hill worries that another community could get San Benito County’s allocation if the project doesn’t progress.
“We need to watch the level of controversy that we create around this whole matter,” said Hill, who offered no official opinion on the state’s decision. “If we get too involved in the process, we as a community, could screw it up and lose the money.”
The Hollister Downtown Association, San Benito County Chamber of Commerce and the local bar association all have officially opposed the Flynn Road site. The business groups are worried about downtown merchants losing foot traffic, and the bar association has noted that many offices dealing with court activities are near the current structure.
The current courthouse site is nestled downtown on the corner of Fifth and Monterey streets and is, according to a 2006 assessment of by the Administrative Office of the Courts, “in deplorable condition … and incapable of meeting the region’s growing demand for court services.” Moving the courthouse is estimated to cost $35.6 million with a projected completion date of mid-2011. The funds were awarded by the state of California after a lengthy application process.
The need for a new courthouse has never been in question, but keeping the facility downtown and centrally located have been hot topics, especially among businesses represented by the HDA.
“We feel like taking the courthouse from downtown is the wrong thing to do and (it’s) the wrong time to do it,” said Rick Maddux, owner of Maddux Jewelry and president of the HDA. “It may save money initially but will lose money later on.”
The HDA recently sent a letter to the California Administrative Office of the Court highlighting the need it saw to keep court offices downtown. The letter calls the current location a “key part of the downtown” and notes a belief that Flynn Road cost estimates are invalid because they don’t include infrastructure expenses such as new sidewalks and bike lanes.
The Fremont School lies approximately 100 feet from two existing fault lines. Though seismic testing is not required at this distance, it is recommended and, without factoring in construction delay costs, will total approximately $20,000, said San Benito County Superior Court Executive Officer Gil Solorio. That assumed cost was part of the state’s reasoning for choosing the Flynn Road site.
The Hollister Redevelopment Agency is, however, planning to conduct seismic testing in the area regardless of where the courthouse moves and it would cover the bill, said Bill Avera, development services director at the RDA.
But keeping the courthouse downtown already may be a lost cause with the state having approved the Flynn Road site. Still, the public has continued to weigh in on the matter.
“My big fear is not that the court might leave downtown, but that after it leaves that other offices may follow,” Avera said. “I think in the short term, moving it will be pretty brutal. But in the long term, who knows?”
Solorio said both the community and all those involved with the relocation project should be given credit for getting the money approved and the project ready to go – since this money was awarded on the state’s highest priority level.
He also noted that while many residents believe the entire courthouse is moving that only the court system itself – which occupies 50 percent of the current building – would relocate and the rest of the offices would stay at the current location.
