EDITOR’S NOTE: As a public service to those unable to review the
City of Hollister’s statement of resolution regarding Measure S, we
present it here in its entirety.
EDITOR’S NOTE: As a public service to those unable to review the City of Hollister’s statement of resolution regarding Measure S, we present it here in its entirety.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HOLLISTER STATING OPPOSITION TO THE NOVEMBER 7, 2006 BALLOT MEASURE S.
WHEREAS, Measure S would designate approximately 1,365 acres (The Gimelli Property) for a Mixed Use Residential Community (MURC) for 3,900 to 4,400 homes; and
WHEREAS, the Gimelli property is outside the Hollister City limits and the Sphere of Influence; and
WHEREAS, approximately 500 acres of the Gimelli Property is prime agricultural land, designated by the State Department of Conservation as among the best farmland in the state; and
WHEREAS, the eastern part of the Gimelli Property is within the 100-year floodplain of Santa Ana Creek; and
WHEREAS, A portion of the Gimelli Property is included in the Inner and Outer Safety Zones extending from the runways at Hollister Airport. Additional areas are located in the traffic Pattern Zone shown in the Airport Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City would be required to issue building permits for at least 650 homes per year on the site once all legal requirements had been met; and
WHEREAS, the passage of Measure S would exempt the Gimelli Property from the voter approved growth initiative Measure U while all other developments in the City would still be required to adhere to Measure U; and
WHEREAS, the passage of Measure S would make it impossible for the City to change the site’s designation of mixed-use residential community with 3,900 to 4,400 units; and
WHEREAS the passage of Measure S would make it impossible for the City to reduce the number of authorized building permits for the Gimelli Property to any number less than 650 per year; and
WHEREAS, Measure S does not explain how Hollister’s street system could accommodate the significant traffic impacts generated by 4,400 homes on the Gimelli property; and
WHEREAS, the passage of Measure S would allow for the development of the Gimelli Property before sites in Hollister’s City limits and sphere of influence, contrary to the City’s current Infill Strategy and General Plan priorities; and
WHEREAS, substantial reductions in the size of the Airport Safety Zones designated in the General Plan could allow residential development to be located much closer to the Hollister Municipal Airport; and
WHEREAS, no source of water and/or wastewater treatment facilities to serve 4,400 units on the Gimelli Property has been identified; and
WHEREAS, an independent fiscal impact commissioned by Pulte Homes states that development of the Gimelli Property as specified by Measure S will result in a yearly net operating deficit of $648,000 to the City of Hollister. An independent impact report commissioned by the City states that the deficit could be as high as 2.3 million dollars annually; and
WHEREAS, Measure S creates several internal inconsistencies in the General Plan: between the land use element and the circulation element (which has not been modified to accommodate the traffic from 4,400 units); between the additional development proposed and the Plan’s growth projections; and between the land use and housing elements; and
WHEREAS, The passage of Measure S would permanently place the Gimelli Property with a designation of Mixed-Use Residential Community into the City’s General Plan. Should Del Webb/Pulte homes decide to not develop the property, any other developer could possibly develop a Mixed-Use Residential Community on the site and include only 35 senior units.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council resolves to oppose Measure S and urges the citizens of Hollister to vote no on Measure S.
