Stripping away the emotion and economics of the recent
revelation regarding the stealthy plans between developer Wayne
Pierce and some of the Amah Mutsun Indians to develop the
6,500-acre Sargent Ranch just south of Gilroy, one thing stands
out: It’s horrible planning.
Stripping away the emotion and economics of the recent revelation regarding the stealthy plans between developer Wayne Pierce and some of the Amah Mutsun Indians to develop the 6,500-acre Sargent Ranch just south of Gilroy, one thing stands out: It’s horrible planning.
That fact alone should be enough for local citizens and their representatives to be up in arms.
Truly, the tortured logic that is applied to giving certain Indians “sovereign nation” status and allowing them to obtain land and develop it outside the normal planning process is entirely a farce. And it’s horrible planning.
Congressman Mike Honda is the point person on this. His influence will likely make or break this deal since the tribe needs to gain federal recognition either through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which will take quite a while and is uncertain, or through an act of Congress. Honda’s stance is critical.
South Valley residents, of course, know Honda. He used to be a Santa Clara County representative on the Board of Supervisors. Voters will recall that he adamantly opposed previous plans brought forth many moons ago to develop the same Sargent Ranch and opposed building a resort on the Gilroy Hot Springs site. Yet, at this point, Honda appears to be supporting the move to recognize the Indian tribe even though it is crystal clear that it is inexorably linked to a huge development of untold significance that would ruin years and years of conscientious planning.
This is an issue that should unite groups that have traditionally had far different views on growth. What’s the point of fighting for Measure G, which would have restricted housing growth in our county, when 2,500 or more acres is headed toward full-scale, leap-frog commercial and housing development just west of us?
This project could have untold impacts – Pierce has not said a word about what he plans to do with his 3,000 acre portion of the proposed Sargent Ranch deal – on our region. Traffic on Highway 25, which already could become a site of an Indian casino, is one impact that leaps to mind, not to mention the dangerous precedent this could set for development without local control. Local leaders will have no say in the matter; they won’t even be able to air their concerns with Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage, who normally would be involved in the planing process.
But that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t register their discontent. Supervisors Pat Loe, Bob Cruz and Ruth Kesler, leaders in the local slow-growth arena, should be on the phone to Congressmen Honda and Sam Farr and urging others of like mind to send them e-mails. So should Mayor Tony Bruscia.
In fact, the Hollister City Council should waste not a minute more. A resolution, condemning the idea of developing the Sargent Ranch outside the normal planning process, should be introduced at the next meeting, passed and sent to Honda as well as all the other federal and state representatives for San Benito County and all bordering areas.
Gage, should introduce a like measure to his fellow Santa Clara County representatives.
The time to put the kibosh on this end-run around the process is right now. It’s amazing that, as a society, we have allowed this farce based on the notion of Indian land sovereignty to spread.
To have “sovereign” nations existing near our country is a ludicrous idea. It is a slippery slope down the path of an entire new genre in the legal profession. Will Hollister need an extradition treaty to remove a known criminal who flees to the sovereign land?
Laugh not. If planning laws don’t apply, what laws do?
Indian urban sprawl – whether it includes a casino or not (who really knows at this point?) is no joke, and it’s knocking on South Valley’s door. It should be stopped in its tracks before the door is busted down.
