What will San Benito County look like in the year 2030? That was
the first question asked of county residents at a town hall meeting
Saturday, where citizens discussed the pending update of San
Benito’s general plan.
Hollister – What will San Benito County look like in the year 2030?
That was the first question asked of county residents at a town hall meeting Saturday, where citizens discussed the pending update of San Benito’s general plan.
It was a big weekend for planning, as locals had a chance to shape the update of the county general plan and Hollister’s downtown strategy plan. Both meetings featured plenty of debate, but most people seemed to agree about the key issues: San Benito County needs to protect its farmland as it grows, while downtown Hollister needs to figure out how to become a real attraction.
And when it comes to the county’s future, there were a few pessimists – local attorney Joe Thompson, a frequent critic of government spending in general and public transit in particular, said that the county will go bankrupt by 2030 and that private automobiles will be outlawed. But most predictions were sunny, and attendees kept repeating the hope that the county would find a way to balance competing demands for growth and “agricultural vitality.”
Hollister resident Dave Peters offered a vision of San Benito County as a tourist Mecca “where the Bay comes to play.” He added that the county could become “spa-tastic.”
Planning Director Art Henriques had said the county meeting would give residents a chance to express “what’s important for our county’s future.” Saturday’s 30-plus attendees seemed pretty united on what matters: land use and economic development.
After splitting into two groups, locals offered suggestions and priorities. Some of those goals, such as bringing Caltrain service or a four-year university into the county, seemed pretty ambitious. But people also noted that limited resources will be an important factor.
After being prodded by one of the speakers, Henriques said, “You know, we can probably put water under everything.”
The information from the town hall meetings, as well as a community survey and “stakeholder” meetings with other agencies, will help shape the general plan update’s “scoping document,” which will, in turn, shape the general plan, Henriques said.
Just a few blocks away, another group was assembled to talk about the Hollister’s new downtown strategy plan. Leaders of the Hollister Downtown Association have said the new plan will help the HDA prepare for the opening of the Highway 25 bypass in December 2008.
Irvine-based RBF Consulting, which is creating the new plan, led locals on a walk through downtown Hollister on Friday, when they had a chance to take photographs of what they liked and didn’t like. The good and the bad were often side by side, with the popular Veterans Memorial Plaza just across the street from a frowned-upon empty lot.
After identifying what works and what doesn’t, business owners and residents drew up plans of their own.
“It seemed like a lot of people were thinking of the same things independently,” said Brenda Weatherly, HDA executive director.
At the top of the shared-idea pile is the division of downtown into different districts, she said. The exact details of the districts varied from plan to plan, but everyone liked the idea of focusing retail activity on San Benito Street, manufacturing and other big employers on McCray Street and housing in between, Weatherly said.
“I was really surprised that people seemed concerned about good jobs,” said Al Zelinka, RBF’s project manager. “In a lot of other towns, people are just interested in retail and housing.”
Although the bypass wasn’t a direct topic of discussion, Zelinka said everyone knew “that’s why we’re here.” If downtown can find a way to become a real attraction, the bypass will be a boon for the neighborhood, he said.
“You’ve got your catcher’s mitt on, and you’re waiting for the pitch,” he said.
