After withdrawing controversial development plans, Sargent Ranch
coming back with 140 luxury homes and two golf courses
A proposal to build two golf courses and 140 luxury homes on a
portion of 7,000 acres of pristine, hill-studded ranchland
southwest of Gilroy appears to be gaining momentum-again.
After withdrawing controversial development plans, Sargent Ranch coming back with 140 luxury homes and two golf courses
A proposal to build two golf courses and 140 luxury homes on a portion of 7,000 acres of pristine, hill-studded ranchland southwest of Gilroy appears to be gaining momentum-again.
On Monday representatives of Sargent Ranch LLC presented preliminary plans for the development that borders San Benito County and spills into Santa Cruz County at a special meeting of the Gilroy City Council.
The plan calls for setting aside 4,500 acres of the parcel as permanent open space, which developers see as key to getting environmental groups, who have helped shoot down similar projects in the past, to accept this version.
The Greenbelt Alliance, however, still views the project as one that alters the hillside and intrudes into sensitive areas while catering to the wealthy.
“Sargent Ranch is a beautiful area and we don’t want to see it destroyed,” said Field Representative Anne Crealock. “It’s outside the city limits of Gilroy and sprawling mansions do nothing to help the Bay Area’s housing crisis. We’ll oppose this today, next year, or in 10 years.”
It is public outcry and concern from numerous environmental groups such as Crealock’s that has stalled development for years. The project also raised concerns from planners in neighboring San Benito County beyond the increased traffic and air-quality issues.
“That spot south of Gilroy is the last separation, the last open space, that separates the Bay Area from the Monterey region,” said San Benito Planning Director Rob Mendiola. “This area helps distinguish our region. If they’re going to build, they need to set it back in the hills and valleys so it’s not visible, so we still have that delineation, so we remain separate.”
For more than two decades, talk and rumor have surrounded plans for the property. Over that period proposals have included everything from the building of a major residential housing development of 6,000 single-family homes to upscale ranchettes and mansions in a gated community.
While the county would ultimately have jurisdiction over any project in the unincorporated area, representatives of the plan were on hand to explain the idea to the council and get a feel for how it is initially received.
“This is just the starting action to allow us to proceed,” said Skip Spiering, a representative of Sargent Ranch LLC. “We just wanted to go to our neighbors and see what they thought. It’s still a long way off. Just like the judge says, this is anywhere from three to five to 10 years out,” Or longer than that.
“I don’t think any of us will be alive when it’s built on,” said Councilman Bob Dillon during a break Monday night. “They’ve been talking about this for years.”
While Dillon supports the idea, he and the entire council realize that seeing it come to fruition is iffy at best.
“It looks like a great idea, but it’s contrary to everything about smart, balanced growth,” said Councilman Charles Morales. “It’s in contrast to good planning to keep leap-frogging outward.”
Spiering told the council Monday that although the development would not be within Gilroy city limits, be annexed or use city services, it was within the city’s scope of influence for planning purposes.
In recent years, applications for developing on the land have been submitted to Santa Clara County and withdrawn twice at the last minute. In 2001, an application was pulled on the morning that it was to be reviewed by county supervisors when it was determined that there was a lack of political support for the project as tension rose over building on one of the last remaining areas of vacant land in the county.
This summer Spiering’s group submitted a pre-application to the county but withdrew it again before it could advance through the planning process. Spiering realized that moving forward would have set off a slew of negative reaction from environmental groups in opposition of any proposed development on the site.
“They want no development out there, period,” said Spiering. “But there is already a right to some development out there. Right now we can go in there and build 10 houses.”
Much of the reason for the opposition is the fact that the ranch is loaded with environmentally sensitive areas and is home to red-legged frogs, steelhead and red salamander. In addition, Tar Creek, Sargent Creek and the Pajaro River flow through the property.
Currently, Santa Clara County has 100,000 acres of undeveloped, unincorporated ranchland.
The Sargent Ranch developer would have to convince county officials to amend the General Plan and change a land-use designation on at least a portion of the property from its current ranchlands classification to a more builder-friendly classification–a decision that would allow owners to submit more specific development plans and open the door for the ranch’s development.
While nothing is etched in stone, Spiering did say that the homes would be in the multi-million price range and be anywhere from 3,500 square feet to more than 5,000 square feet.
According to Spiering, the new plan calls for building 140 homes on two-acre parcels and the creation of two golf courses, one public and one private. Only the public course would be visible from U.S. 101.
“You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that this is the best way to develop on the land from an environmental standpoint,” said Spiering.
The high-end cost of the homes will make up for the 6,000 homes that could have been built a decade ago on the property that would have sold for roughly $175,000. Spiering’s group came up with the 140 home figure based on county calculations that uses ranch land and slope density to come up with an acceptable figure on the site.
