Hollister
– Locals joined together Thursday for a brainstorming session to
discuss the future of San Benito County.
Hollister – Locals joined together Thursday for a brainstorming session to discuss the future of San Benito County.
Vision San Benito, a group formed in 2004 to shape the county from the ground up, used the meeting to share its draft “vision document” with interested community members.
The document outlines 15 goals for San Benito County and ways to measure progress toward those ends. The goals, compiled after months of study by Vision San Benito members, touch on nearly every aspect of community life, from business development, housing and jobs to preserving the unique character of the county.
Vision San Benito members, with help from another community organization, Leadership San Benito, presented the plan to about 30 community members.
The purpose of the document is to create a grass-roots master plan for San Benito County that takes into account the many different ideas for the future.
“People aren’t on the same page,” Vision San Benito member Joe Morris said. “We need a common vision.”
The vision document touches on a wide variety of subjects, including the expansion of businesses, balanced growth of jobs and housing, revitalization of downtown Hollister and profitable, locally owned agriculture.
“We want to begin discussions on these topics before they become hot-button issues,” Morris said.
The meeting also served as an opportunity for many local residents to voice their opinions.
“I don’t want to see sprawl,” said John Locey, a member of the 2007 Leadership San Benito class. “We need a balance.”
Other residents came to the meeting to learn more about the community, to get involved in planning for the future or to suggest new directions for the county to move in.
“There is consensus in numbers,” Leadership San Benito member Peggy Cowick said. “If this is what we want, our elected officials will have no choice but to listen to us.”
Locey and other Leadership San Benito class members helped organize and facilitate the brainstorming session. Community members were invited to discuss what they want for the county in the coming years.
County Supervisor Anthony Botelho attended the meeting to hear from the community before he and other supervisors began revising the county’s outdated general plan later this month.
“I really believe this group can help with the general plan,” he said. “This is a positive way to create consensus in our community.”
Edward Escamilla, a Leadership San Benito class of 2007 member, said he believes the two-hour meeting was a success.
“A very diverse group of people showed up here and I think we can add their ideas to a larger plan that everyone can agree on,” he said.
