County supervisors Tuesday agreed to extend a moratorium against cutting mature trees here for another 10 months and 15 days, but they instructed staff officials to prepare a permanent tree ordinance with a goal of approval within six months.
County supervisors extended the 45-day temporary moratorium against cutting protected trees in light of controversy spurred by tensions between Ridgemark Golf & Country Club and homeowners.
The county’s 45-day temporary moratorium adopted Oct. 21 was set to expire Friday. The interim ordinance will extend the moratorium for another 10 months and 15 days into October 2015.
The Ridgemark Homes Association filed a lawsuit in April against JMK Golf LLC – the company that acquired the Ridgemark Golf & Country Club golf course in the spring of 2009 – asking for a restraining order that would keep the company from cutting down trees on the golf course in front of their houses. The 125 trees in question are in the fallow part of the golf course, which employees stopped watering in July when Ridgemark closed some of its fairways and moved from a 36-hole course to an 18-hole facility.
That lawsuit has coincided with consideration by the county board to update its woodlands ordinance relating to trees. Board members Tuesday considered whether to extend the moratorium by 90 days – supported by Supervisor Margie Barrios – or move forward with the longer extension of 10 months and 15 days.
Board members approved the 10-month, 15-day extension in a 4-1 vote, with Barrios dissenting. Barrios wanted to give the San Benito County Business Council time to work with Ridgemark homeowners groups on a solution.
“I really was doing this as a message to the homeowners and the (Ridgemark owners),” she said.
Supervisor Robert Rivas disagreed with Barrios and said the county would be better off getting a “bunch of kindergarten teachers” in the room to work out the problem. He expressed skepticism about building relationships.
“I don’t have much confidence in the business council,” Rivas said.
The supervisors’ remarks and decision came after a round of public comment from Ridgemark homeowners and the golf club owners. While addressing the board, Ridgemark owner John Kehriotis said club owners intend to develop and beautify the area in question.
“We own the property. You don’t. You are neighbors,” Kehriotis said.
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