Local development shelved: new, larger one now planned in
Redwood City
Five days after telling San Benito County supervisors the
company has withdrawn its 6,800-unit development proposal here, DMB
Associates announced a new proposal Tuesday for a planned community
of 8,000 to 12,000 homes in Redwood City along the bay, a Redwood
City spokesman confirmed.
DMB announced the proposal for the
”
Saltworks
”
project on 1,433 acres east of Hwy. 101. On Thursday, DMB
attributed its decision to withdraw the El Rancho San Benito
proposal off Hwy. 25 northwest of Hollister to the poor
economy.
Local development shelved: new, larger one now planned in Redwood City
Five days after telling San Benito County supervisors the company has withdrawn its 6,800-unit development proposal here, DMB Associates announced a new proposal Tuesday for a planned community of 8,000 to 12,000 homes in Redwood City along the bay, a Redwood City spokesman confirmed.
DMB announced the proposal for the “Saltworks” project on 1,433 acres east of Hwy. 101. On Thursday, DMB attributed its decision to withdraw the El Rancho San Benito proposal off Hwy. 25 northwest of Hollister to the poor economy.
DMB first publicly broached the El Rancho San Benito project in January 2005. The company had been working through the environmental review process here before heading toward an eventual vote by supervisors and then the citizenry.
For nearly two years in Redwood City as well, DMB “engaged in a community outreach process” to help plan the Saltworks project, according to a Web site the company has set up for that proposal. The company routinely works on many large developments simultaneously.
San Benito County Board Chairman Anthony Botelho noted how the dynamics of the real estate industry in each area likely play into its decision to move ahead on one and not the other.
“Their processes and needs for housing might be a little bit different, and costs for a development might be a little bit different there,” he said. “I certainly wish them luck.”
Malcolm Smith, Redwood City’s communications manager, confirmed that the community does not require a vote on the ballot for such larger developments as San Benito County does. He did point out that citizens in recent years have placed initiatives on ballots stating opposition to large-scale projects.
Supervisor Reb Monaco, though, called DMB’s withdrawal here “an economic decision.” He noted how the housing market decline has not hit the Redwood City area nearly as hard as San Benito County.
“You’re looking at an area, let’s face it, a lot of people want to live in that fairly confined space [near the bay],” Monaco said. “Property values haven’t suffered the same there as other places.”
Botelho said the unveiling in Redwood City, days after the withdrawal here, did not surprise him.
“They’re developers,” he said. “It doesn’t surprise me that they look at other areas and other opportunities. I just hope they are successful up there in Redwood City.”
Smith said Redwood City had been in communication with DMB over the past two to three years, but that no details have come forward as to the size of the proposal. DMB has indicated to Redwood City officials it intends to submit an official proposal next week.
He noted how the land on which DMB is proposing the Saltworks project is designated as agricultural – for salt harvesting – and as open space.
