County officials are hassling city planners over a relatively
small Hollister-governed subdivision, and Mansmith’s barbecue that
occupies a portion of the lot has found itself caught in the middle
and may have to move out.
County officials are hassling city planners over a relatively small Hollister-governed subdivision, and Mansmith’s barbecue that occupies a portion of the lot has found itself caught in the middle and may have to move out.
Supervisor Pat Loe, county Planning Director Rob Mendiola and San Benito County Water District head John Gregg want to appeal the approval of the three-lot subdivision with the hope the Council will decide to overturn it. The City Council set an appeal for June 7 to contest the planning commission’s recent approval of the project.
The lot is located at the corner of Nash Road and Cushman Street and includes Gold’s Gym, Java Express, Salvation Army and Mansmith’s. Its owner, Jamann LLC, wants to split it from one parcel into three.
City planners contend splitting the land would serve a sole financial purpose – not one that would promote future development of the lot.
New construction in Hollister is not allowed until the building permit moratorium ends in late 2005.
Loe, Mendiola and Gregg each recently sent letters of objection to the city. They say the city must conduct a more stringent environmental review that considers potential build-out effects.
Loe said she objects to the subdivision, as a resident of the neighborhood, and not as a county supervisor. Loe, a former county planning commissioner, lives at 26 Nash Road.
They all stated in letters that the city must follow California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) regulations before approving such a subdivision.
“I think that all government agencies right now are very concerned about CEQA and following CEQA regulations,” Loe said Monday.
Considerations, she said, must be made of potential traffic gridlock and additional air pollution that could arise.
Planning Commissioners say the action would allow only for potential sale of the three proposed parcels. Further development, according to Commissioner Ray Pierce, would not be permitted.
“So nothing will change,” Pierce said.
City Attorney Elaine Cass couldn’t recall county leaders ever officially opposing such a city project, she said in a late March interview.
Loe, meanwhile, said she did not petition support from Mendiola or Gregg.
“I had nothing to do with that,” she said. “The planning department did that on their own.”
Jon Mansmith, the company president, doesn’t understand the city’s objection to his business’ locale during the subdivision process.
Mansmith pointed out in a letter to the city that his outfit has been at the location since 1993, and city officials have never questioned it before. He is unsure, he said, why city planners are now saying it’s illegal. Mansmith is not objecting to the subdivision – only the stipulation about his business.
“It’s just all new people, and they’ve all got different ideas and different interpretations,” Mansmith said.
The city, though, believes the setup has produced a safety hazard – one that has been tolerated for several years.
“That’s probably a nonconforming, non-legal use,” Pierce said, “and has been tolerated for a long time, I’m just guessing.”
