Bad site dooms S
Hollister voters are being asked to make a decision on Nov. 7
that would change the face of Hollister. Measure S would begin a
process that could lead to a new, planned community exclusively for
people 55 and older at the edge of Hollister, one containing more
than 4,000 homes, wrapped around waterways, a golf course and
parks.
Bad site dooms S
Hollister voters are being asked to make a decision on Nov. 7 that would change the face of Hollister. Measure S would begin a process that could lead to a new, planned community exclusively for people 55 and older at the edge of Hollister, one containing more than 4,000 homes, wrapped around waterways, a golf course and parks.
Pulte Homes, the developer of the Del Webb Sun City projects, is seeking a voter endorsement for a zoning change and an exemption from the city’s 244-home-per-year building cap. Measure S would allow Pulte to build as many as 650 homes per year, a number the company says it needs to ensure an economically viable development.
The company has earned a solid reputation based on more than 50 Sun Cities nationwide. The high profile campaign for Measure S has included bus trips to an existing development, even a professionally-produced DVD sent to every voter’s home in Hollister, along with a blizzard of mail pieces. It’s an unprecedented effort to woo local voters, and the most expensive campaign in San Benito County history.
Pulte promises to pay its way, to add a contingent of residents with disposable incomes, people who can be counted on, Pulte says, to leave $22 million per year downtown. They cite the benefits of a group of taxpayers who do not fill our schools with children, who demand few government services, and who have lots of time to volunteer in their community.
These are all compelling arguments, but we still must recommend a “no” vote on Measure S. One member of The Pinnacle editorial board said it best: “it’s a great project, but it’s in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Hollister is still reeling under a state-imposed building shutdown that dates back to 2002. Until a new sewer plant is completed – probably in 2008, Hollister officials say – no new hookups are allowed in the city. To its credit, Pulte has offered to supply $20 million to the sewer plant project. The additional capacity the development would require will cost some $10 million, so the offer represents a generous vote of support for the city.
But the moratorium has created a logjam that makes Pulte’s timing a significant problem.
There are some 1,100 homes already approved to be built within the city limits. When the new sewer is open and development is cleared to start, Hollister already can expect significant growth. The builders of some of these homes have already been waiting in line for more than four years.
Most important, the site is fatally flawed in our view. The proposed location is adjacent to Highway 156, north of Hollister Airport. The development would put a large residential enclave well outside of the contiguous city, separated from it by industrial parks and an airport. That’s an invitation to sprawl, and a guarantee of traffic headaches to come.
While Pulte’s planners have taken great pains to ensure that homes would not lie in the flight path from the airport, a large number of homes and an airport do not make good neighbors.
The people pushing for Measure S point to another Sun City development that co-exists well with a nearby airport, and they note correctly that safety issues will be addressed by regulatory agencies.
But with airport officials angling to turn the World War II-era hub into a home for corporate jets, the addition of thousands of homes nearby is ill-considered. Airport development and neighboring industrial development growth can produce one commodity now critically lacking in San Benito County – high paying jobs.
The airport site was chosen because it was available. Pulte needs about 1,000 acres for its development, and there were no other sites near Hollister with willing sellers. But in this case, the easiest site is not the best site, plain and simple.
Finally, Measure S is no guarantee of a gem of a planned community set at Hollister’s edge. It does two things: create a new zoning designation and create a special development exemption allowing 650 homes to be built annually until completion. While we do not doubt that Pulte is acting in good faith, things happen in real estate transactions. If Pulte walks away, the exemptions created in Measure S remain, no matter who builds and no matter what it looks like.
We sincerely hope Pulte does not walk away from San Benito County if Measure S fails. In the right location with the right assurances, Sun City could be an asset that would revitalize and transform Hollister.
