The San Benito County Economic Development Corporation scored
two grants totaling $5,000 from Pacific Gas and Electric this
month
– the majority of which will be used as an incentive to get
businesses to build in Hollister during the sewer moratorium.
Hollister – The San Benito County Economic Development Corporation scored two grants totaling $5,000 from Pacific Gas and Electric this month – the majority of which will be used as an incentive to get businesses to build in Hollister during the sewer moratorium.
The EDC received a $4,000 grant that will be divvied up between businesses hoping to buy sewage holding tanks, which would enable them to build despite the city’s sewer moratorium. and EDC Executive Director Al Martinez said he hopes it will spur economic development in the county. A separate $1,000 grant will be passed along to the Hollister Downtown Association to defray some of the cost of the annual Lights On Celebration held last month.
“That’s exactly what we’re trying to do – get people to help (businesses) to expand and to get people here,” Hollister Councilman Brad Pike said. “I think Al is doing the right thing.”
The $4,000 will go to companies in Hollister that need to buy sewage holding tanks so they can build new facilities while the state-imposed building moratorium, which prohibits new development requiring sewer hook-ups, remains in place. The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board imposed the moratorium on the city in 2002 after 15 million gallons of treated sewage spilled into the San Benito River.
“PG&E has always been a tremendous supporter of economic development in San Benito County,” Martinez said.
Martinez said he plans to use the grant to give up to eight companies $500 each toward the cost of purchasing holding tanks. Although Martinez said a holding tank costs between $12,000 and $20,000, he has gotten a positive response from companies.
“They say anything will help,” he said.
Martinez said about three companies have shown interest in taking advantage of the $500 and buying a holding tank. Hollister allows the use of holding tanks for development on property that has already gone through the city’s planning process, he said.
Santos Martinez, owner of Gourmet Veg-Paq, said he hopes to get a piece of the grant money so he can move his business headquarters from Gilroy to Hollister.
“If it’s free money that we can utilize and achieve our goals, I’m fired up,” he said.
Gourmet Veg-Paq currently has a cooler facility in Hollister where vegetables are stored. Santos said he wants to buy a holding tank so he can build his offices next to the storage facility.
“I hope to be a model for other businesses coming into the area,” he said.
This year PG&E handed out nearly $300,000 in grants, according to Spokesperson Jann Taber. She said the company started giving grants out four years ago when the state’s economy took a dive.
“We’re looking at what’s going to help the vitality of the community’s we serve,” she 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]
