The company behind the 1,100-home Del Webb development at San Juan Oaks Golf Club has informed county officials it is backing out of the approved project.
Multiple county officials have confirmed the news to the Free Lance. County Board Chairman Robert also verified the decision was related to costs of regulations from a state or federal agency. Supervisor Anthony Botelho, whom Rivas said had more details on the regulatory costs, could not be reached immediately. San Juan Oaks General Manager Scott Fuller also could not be reached immediately before press time.
San Benito County supervisors in November approved the Del Webb project at San Juan Oaks featuring more than 1,000 homes aimed at active adults age 55 and over. Supervisors unanimously approved the project after hearing overwhelming support from residents and project supporters in a public hearing.
Del Webb consultant John Johnson had said he expected the build-out to last four to five years.
Pulte Homes subsidiary Del Webb was set to build 1,017 single-family, age-restricted homes on the San Juan Oaks property targeted toward active adults 55 years and older, along with a host of amenities that include a resort, community center and a skilled-nursing facility. Additionally as part of the project, San Juan Oaks would build 67 market-rate homes along the golf course.
The now-tabled proposal amended plans originally broached by San Juan Oaks in 2004 for 186 homes. Del Webb—which had a 4,400-unit senior community near the airport rejected by Hollister voters in 2006—first publicly acknowledged the possibility of partnering with San Juan Oaks two years ago.
The national and local housing markets have heated up over the past few years. Other developers such as Santana Ranch and Award Homes are moving on construction efforts along Fairview Road as smaller developers continue building subdivisions scattered throughout the area.
Del Webb’s one-story houses would have ranged from 1,400 to 2,500 square feet—while benefiting from conveniences nearby such as the golf club, a planned community center, a planned 65,000 square-foot commercial facility, an array of parkland and ample social opportunities.
Some of the other requirements for such Del Webb planned communities—many are located in retirement states like Florida and Arizona while this would be the company’s first signature Bay Area development—include being relatively close to a major airport, having access to healthcare facilities and living in an area with low crime, Johnson, the real estate consultant representing Del Webb on the project, has said.
The companies initially had hoped to have a model home selling by the end of 2016 with a four-phase build-out totaling four to five years once homes are sold.
