College forms liason between district and residents unhappy with
current proposal
Hollister – The Gavilan College Board of Trustees voted unanimously Tuesday to form a San Benito County Site Acquisition Subcommittee, fulfilling their promise to the community that the board would work closer with residents in finding a suitable site for a future local campus.
“I wanted to be a part of this committee because I am a San Benito County resident,” said trustee Elvira Robinson. “It’s important to me to hear from the public so we can make the best decision and come to a mutual agreement that works for everyone and makes fiscal sense for the college.”
The board voted at one of two meetings Tuesday discussing the future of Gavilan College in San Benito County, the other which took place during the county Board of Supervisors meeting earlier that day.
The board’s subcommittee is the realization of an idea first established at a special meeting held in Hollister in late February to address the concerns of local residents who take issue with the site currently proposed as the future home of Gavilan College in San Benito County.
The site in question is an 85 acre parcel situated adjacent to the Hollister Municipal Airport. The land cost the college roughly $4 million of the $12.1 million Measure E earmark, which was set aside for land acquisition and possible early construction in San Benito County. Since the announcement, however, several arguments have been presented against the site, ranging from zoning and safety issues to the wealth of cultural resources local residents will be missing out on if a college isn’t centered closer to downtown Hollister.
A few proposals have been presented to Gavilan since the college announced that it would be going forward with the purchase of the airport property, however all have been shot down by officials due to cost, location or hidden construction problems.
The new subcommittee is intended to act as a liaison between Gavilan and local residents who find the current site unacceptable and wish to work on finding alternatives.
“It’s exciting that we’re going to have a Gavilan College campus in San Benito County, and it’s exciting that we have a subcommittee to help with that,” said board President Tom Breen. “We’re going forward in the due diligence process with the land we have now, but if there’s a better alternative, we want to look at that, too.”
No one from San Benito County attended the meeting when the subcommittee was voted on.
Those who have spoken out against Gavilan’s plans to build near the airport say they are encouraged by the college’s move to form such a committee.
“I look forward to talking to them,” said smart growth advocate Joe Morris. “It’s clear that there are a number of issues that could become problematic with the site they’re looking at right now, and they’re going to get caught with their pants down when the FAA tells them it won’t work… I’m glad we’ll have some people to talk with, but we want to get started right away.”
Fellow advocate Christine Breen echoed the need for urgency, citing the fact that as more time passes in the due diligence process, the less opportunity the committee will have to examine alternatives.
“I’m happy this subcommittee will be listening to public input, because after all we’re the ones paying for it (a new college) through our property taxes,” she said. “But this requires expedient action… I hope we are able to get in touch within the next few days.”
Subcommittee members have said they will hold at least two public meetings in Hollister, one at the end of April and one later in May.
According to Morris, opponents of the proposed site have prepared at least one alternative proposal for presentation to the subcommittee, but declined to name the parcels for fear that it would affect the college’s ability to negotiate.
At the same Tuesday meeting, the board voted to affirm Gavilan’s intent to build a full campus in San Benito County complete with athletic facilities, a performing arts center and a library. According to numbers compiled by the college, Gavilan can expect to serve roughly 2,225 full-time students by the year 2030, resulting in the necessity of a large facility as opposed to a smaller satellite campus – the state considers a “full” campus one serving more than 1,000 students. In order to be considered a full-size campus in the eyes of the state, the site must be at least 80 acres, and preferably as large as 100.
No one from San Benito County attended the meeting when both items were voted on.
Earlier that same day, representatives from Gavilan College attended a San Benito County Board of Supervisors meeting officially informing the board of their plans, and soliciting any help or recommendations, as well. A handful of people also turned out stating their position against the current site.
“We need your help in finding a site that will work,” said Gavilan President Steve Kinsella, addressing the supervisors. “But if we don’t get started soon this will never come to fruition.”
While all county supervisors seemed receptive to the idea of a Gavilan campus in San Benito County, views differed on where the best site would be. Supervisor Don Marcus, whose district encompasses the land in question near the airport, was encouraged that Gavilan representatives attended the meeting and said he was enthusiastic about the formation of a subcommittee to work with locals.
“I think it’s an excellent idea, and I am very glad that the Gavilan trustees are willing to work with the community to locate the best spot for a new campus,” he said. “I would be willing to be a part of that team, it’s something I have a lot of interest in.”
