San Juan Oaks’ plan to expand its housing and resort project through the transfer of development credits program gives the county a chance to add a valuable destination point while showing potential builders the worthiness of a new land preservation tool.
General Manager Scott Fuller announced in late September the golf club will submit a revised plan that include San Juan Oaks acting as the pilot project for the TDC program. As part of the plan, the club was in negotiations with a “well-known” health and fitness resort company to partner on the hotel portion of the project.
San Juan Oaks’ development is the right choice to launch the county program that serves to preserve prime agricultural land while allowing developers to add units to their projects – the point being a shift of development away from high-quality farmland and into areas more appropriate for higher densities.
The proposed change to the 4-year-old project would allow for an additional 121 homes and a total of 456 units, along with the hotel with 100 standard rooms and another 100 to 150 “fractional units” people could buy for parts of the year.
Aside from the golf club being a high-profile business that can serve as a positive symbol for the TDC program, county officials should strongly consider the potential economic gains from the project.
While Fuller could not reveal the resort company’s name, because the two sides were still in final negotiations, he said it was a recognizable enterprise. If that’s the case, it’s the type of tourist draw – especially with its association to health and fitness – that this county needs.
Beyond a boost in tourism to the already bucolic San Juan Oaks property and San Benito County in general, the project could add hundreds of jobs to the area – both temporary and permanent – through the hotel and resort portion of the project and construction of homes.
But there’s also a potential for related, spin-off returns as well, as other area businesses stand to gain from increased tourism to San Benito County. And it also would provide an incentive for existing local businesses and entrepreneurs to raise their game, so to speak, and try other new, inviting ideas as the county continues to develop.
San Juan Oaks’ plan is right for this county and signals progress has been made since the 2004 Measure G slow-growth proposal that drew an often vicious line between the debate’s two sides – and prompted calls for consensus building between them.
With San Juan Oaks, it’s one of those rare cases in which both sides can win.
