Representatives of developer Del Webb were in town Wednesday to
talk to local leaders about a plan to build one of its
resort-styled retirement communities near the Hollister Municipal
Airport
– a development that will include a golf course, hiking trails
and up to 4,200 homes.
Hollister – Representatives of developer Del Webb were in town Wednesday to talk to local leaders about a plan to build one of its resort-styled retirement communities near the Hollister Municipal Airport – a development that will include a golf course, hiking trails and up to 4,200 homes.
Del Webb, which is owned by Pulte Homes, recently made a successful offer to purchase about 1,300 acres just north of Hwy. 156 and Hollister’s airport and is in the preliminary stages of doing feasibility studies on the land before the deal goes through, according to Wendy Elliott of Pulte Homes. Elliott said that a Del Webb development in Hollister would bring several benefits and negligible impacts to Hollister.
While the land is currently in the county Del Webb hopes to have it annexed into Hollister. The annexation would have to be approved by the Local Agency Formation Commission – an inter-governmental agency charged with approving boundary changes in the county.
“Hollister is a wonderful city and we believe that an active adult community will benefit its current and future residents,” Elliott said.
Del Webb builds two types of retirement communities for people age 55 and older who would like to downgrade from a large home and land to a smaller, more manageable single-family home.
The larger resort, called Sun City, includes a minimum of 1,000 acres of land and must accommodate a golf course, tennis courts, and a fitness and recreational center. The other option is a “boutique city,” which is a community built on less than 1,000 acres of land and would not include a golf course but would include a club house, fitness center and walking trails.
The company is proposing a Sun City development for Hollister, which will include hiking trails, recreation facilities for residents, a public golf course and 3,600 to 4,200 homes, according to Elliott. The company has no construction date set.
Increased tax revenue to the city, a larger customer base for downtown shops and more recreation options are some of the benefits that the proposed development, and its residents, would bring to Hollister, she said.
At first glance, some local leaders agree that the project could hold benefits.
San Benito County Supervisor Don Marcus, who met with Elliott on Wednesday, said he is interested in the development because it will provide much needed senior housing.
“My initial impression is that we need to take a good look at it,” he said. “It’s offering the opportunity for seniors to have some options for their living needs.”
Hollister Councilman Brad Pike said that he thinks the senior community could be an economic boon for the city and that Del Webb is among the “elite” developers and can make improvements to Hollister’s infrastructure.
“I think they have the capital to come to the table,” he said. “I feel very confidant that Del Webb, and Pulte Homes, will be here for the long haul.”
Elliott said that whatever contributions, in addition to the impact fees all developments pay, that Del Webb might make to the city’s infrastructure will be explored as the project moves along.
Despite their initial enthusiasm, however, both Marcus and Pike said that they will await more details until making a final decision to support the proposed development.
“I want to see everything in writing,” Pike said. “But I feel that we’re starting to get on the right track.”
Del Webb has been looking at the Hollister property for nearly a year, Elliott said, and has determined that Hollister will be good location for a senior community. She said that the developer is aware of Hollister’s growth cap, which limits new housing allocations to 244 per year. The company, however, has not determined how it will clear that hurdle at this early stage, Elliott said.
“That’s an issue,” she said. “And re recognize it as an issue.”
City Attorney Elaine Cass said that the city’s growth cap, passed by voters in 2002, expires in 2012. But even after it’s expired, the kind of development Del Webb is proposing would require a major reassessment of the city’s recently adopted General Plan – a land use document that guides long-term growth in the city, according to City Manager Clint Quilter.
Now that a project is on the table, Elliott said that Del Webb will start a community outreach campaign that will last six or eight months. There will be meetings on March 21 and 23 at 6:30pm at the Community Center in Hollister.
“We will work closely with Hollister residents throughout the process to ensure that we get feedback from them and make them aware of the project’s benefits,” Elliott said.
Luke Roney covers local government and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at [email protected].
