Politics

Council members Monday voted 3-1 to waive in-lieu fees for an upcoming senior housing development, opting instead to receive a one-time payment of $1 million. According to city documents, the total in-lieu fee for the project as of June 2017 is $1,515,000. Miller Homes, Inc., developer...

Council members Monday received a fly-by report on the Hollister Municipal Airport. Airport Manager Mike Chambless reported out on capital improvement projects and revenue. “Out of 194 airports in the state of California that are recognized by the (Federal Aviation Administration) and the State of California...

Vice Mayor Karson Klauer will sit out on the medical cannabis dispensary decision expected next week because his family has a connection to a property with interest in the vote. Council members are expected to hold a public hearing on Monday, June 26 to ratify...

The City of Hollister is holding an open application process for the city treasurer’s position. At a June 5 council meeting, staff announced that former Treasurer Cecilia Rios moved out of the city. That means the city must fill the role. In an interview with the...

County supervisors discussed using SB-1 funds for future road repair at a Tuesday meeting. SB-1 raised the gas tax and vehicle fees in California in order to generate money to fix roads throughout the state. Management Analyst Louie Valdez explained to supervisors that the issue also...

A day before Hollister council members sold the open 400 block of San Benito Street for development, Mayor Ignacio Velazquez issued a call to action against the sale on social media. He announced that the following day, June 5, the city council would decide on...

Locals won’t see a movie in the park on the 400 block of downtown anymore, but they might get a bite to eat. Council members Monday approved selling the open space next to The Vault and Briggs Building parking garage, but the developer must still...

Council members Monday authorized the deferment of impact fees for the new Marriott Hotel until the end of 2018. The deferment of impact fees has an estimated financial impact of $524,245, according to the staff report. “The deferment would be in effect until December of 2018,”...

The city was a bit hazy on details of new statewide cannabis rules. After learning of mistakes in the state-mandated review process for new pot shops—including not noticing a public hearing as required—Hollister council members Monday pushed off a consideration that could establish rules for...

The highly debated 400 block proposal for buildings on a cornerstone downtown open space is expected to go before council members next week. In May 2016, Hollister council members unanimously approved going forward in exclusive talks to sell the city’s property in the 400 block...