DMB offers up a host of improvements
DMB Associates last week took the next step toward developing a
finished plan for a city of 6,800 homes between Gilroy and
Hollister.
Since its last meeting with the public several months ago, DMB
attempted to define the Rancho San Benito project more clearly
– laying out not only its projected size for the first time, but
an unprecedented menu of improvements both on and off the project
area the company proposes.
DMB offers up a host of improvements
DMB Associates last week took the next step toward developing a finished plan for a city of 6,800 homes between Gilroy and Hollister.
Since its last meeting with the public several months ago, DMB attempted to define the Rancho San Benito project more clearly – laying out not only its projected size for the first time, but an unprecedented menu of improvements both on and off the project area the company proposes. While there is still not an actual project plan, there is a toolkit of proposals DMB plans to bring to city and county officials in the upcoming weeks before incorporating public input over the next several months.
The toolkit details the next steps in the development of El Rancho San Benito and takes the project that was previously 4,500 acres and expands it to a mammoth 11,000 acres. Still, project developer Ray Becker says that the project’s size will only be increasing marginally.
The toolkit was created based on concerns expressed by San Benito County residents. The most recent development is the purchase of the O’Connell Ranch – the nearly 7,000-acre ranch property spanning the Flint Hills is immediately adjacent to the El Rancho San Benito property.
The O’Connell property has been the subject of past development proposals and according to Becker, DMB was concerned about the compatibility of other developments with its plans. DMB’s Becker said the addition of the O’Connell ranch will not, at least initially, increase their total number of homes planned.
With a county ordinance requiring that any development of 100 or more homes go to a vote of the public, DMB is offering to sweeten the deal with everything from school and emergency facilities to parks, open space and highway improvements.
The toolkit includes several different components that will benefit the larger community, Becker said. The 6,800 homes proposed include 5,440 market rate homes and 1,360 below-market-rate homes. A county ordinance currently in effect requires that developments outside of San Juan Bautista and Hollister but within the county include 30 percent below-market-rate homes.
The majority of the land will remain undeveloped and permanently preserved for farming, ranching and natural resource protection, according to Becker.
The project will fully fund all of its public service requirements while also generating approximately $170 million in additional revenue to substantially fund highway improvements.
“We know that $170 million would go a ways toward widening Highway 25, but the money goes to the San Benito County Council of Governments and they make the determination where to use that money,” Becker said.
Infrastructure
In terms of infrastructure, transportation water and wastewater Becker said the project will implement comprehensive transportation and water management plans. The intention is to assure that new residents do not burden existing facilities and that they help facilitate new county infrastructure capacity.
Plans also include building a four-lane parkway, at the project’s expense, through the site providing a new connection between Highway 25 and Highway 101. Becker said the current highway project cost is $62 million in addition to the $170 million that they will be generating in traffic impact fees.
Becker said the company is working on the incorporation of a shuttle fleet, building a community transportation and telecommuting center, and providing project residents with access to regional transit options. In the same vein they are interested in integrating their shuttle and roadway system with Hollister and San Juan Bautista businesses to stimulate the local economy.
In terms of water and wastewater, Becker said that plans include the construction and funding of onsite water and wastewater treatment facilities that will accommodate all the project’s needs.
It is also their intention, according to Becker, to fully support the San Benito County Water District’s long-term groundwater and water management goals.
County economy
In terms of measures to enhance the county’s economy Becker said that DMB’s hope is to stimulate job creation to the extent of 1,800 new jobs per year over the planned 10-12 year building period. It is DMB’s hope that by attracting new employers to the county and continuing to support county tourism, the company can help bring more revenue to the county.
“We also envision that there will be a number of spin-off jobs, since those people will need places to eat, live and buy tools,” Becker said.
He said that the comprehensive plan for the development is projected to facilitate approximately 8,800 new permanent jobs in the county. The project would also include commercial and light industrial space to help attract employers that will complement ongoing airport area industrial development, he said.
Becker said that the developers will work with the county to implement aggressive national employer relocation campaign and to design a business plan to capture jobs created by businesses in emerging and high-growth sectors.
Housing
Housing is a major component of the toolkit. El Rancho San Benito will combine a full range of housing options. Becker said that it would be the largest affordable housing development in county history.
Homes proposed for the project include condominiums, townhouses, cluster and alley style single-family homes as well as small to medium sized lot conventional homes available to first time buyers, larger homes for move-up buyers and special designs for empty nesters and seniors.
There is still no word about range of cost for homes, but all homes will be designed in small neighborhoods with multiple architectural styles.
The project will also provide 1,360 below-market-rate homes affordable to buyers with a wide range of incomes. Becker said that approximately 200 of these units would be rental homes reserved for buyers identified by the county as having “very low” incomes. Three hundred homes would be reserved for families with “low” incomes – Becker said that the percentage of rental versus for-sale homes would be determined in consultation with the county. Four hundred homes will be offered to families with “moderate” incomes and 460 units will be for sale to “workforce” buyers so that they can accommodate public safety workers, teachers, health care workers and the like. Purchase assistance will be provided by the project through support for county and other community down payment and second trust deed programs.
Becker said that DMB is anticipating working with local affordable housing advocates, including South County Housing and CHISPA as well as national organizations such as Bridge Housing while at the same time giving existing county residents the highest possible priority in for affordable housing.
In addition to its other programs, Becker said that El Rancho San Benito will generate significant support for additional county housing needs during the construction and sale period of the project, including approximately $1.7 million for county farm worker housing programs; $500,000 in support of the County Homeless Shelter; $500,000 in support of the Emmaus House and 10 home sites to be donated to the Habitat for Humanity.
One of the elements of the plan Becker said he is most proud of is something he bills as the Legacy Fund. DMB is working with local real estate agents to establish a fund that will be fed for 50 years. Upon the resale of each home in El Rancho San Benito, a transfer fee of 0.5 percent will be deposited into the Legacy Fund. In the first 25 years of the Legacy Fund, it is anticipated to generate about $80 million. One half of the proceeds will be used by the non-profit Community Services Development Corporation of San Benito County to fund ongoing affordable housing projects throughout the county. The other half will be used to protect local agricultural and ranch lands. Those funds will be provided to the San Benito County Agricultural Land Trust which will administer protection of family farms and ranchlands.
Public service
In terms of public safety Becker said that El Rancho San Benito would fully pay for all of its public service needs and generate significant new capacity for county residents.
Additionally, DMB plans to construct a new public safety facility. A new fire station, with fully staffed engine and truck company is proposed as well as a sheriff’s substation and approximately 27 new deputies plus support staff. Becker said that similar additional emergency medical services are also part of the plan. He said that the additional services would be available to serve the needs of the entire community, not just El Rancho San Benito’s population.
Additional amenities would include a new branch public library and a new medical campus with urgent care services, doctor and dental offices and other health-related services in association with Hazel Hawkins Hospital.
Education
The final element of the toolkit is education. Becker said that DMB is working with each of the three school districts with jurisdiction over portions of the project area to identify land, improvements and construction assistance the project will provide for grades kindergarten through 12 facilities on the site. Becker said that at least one new school would be completed on the site before any homes are occupied. Possible new educational programs funded by El Rancho San Benito, such as the Read First Program, will be implemented district-wide and would benefit students throughout the county, he said. Additionally, DMB plans to provide short-term funding and assistance to local high schools until on-site enrollment reaches the level required for a new high school. DMB would also work with Gavilan College and other area colleges such as San Jose State to provide additional resources for the San Benito community up to include graduate level studies.
Becker said that the toolkit is a draft for community input and feedback. During the coming months, DMB staff wants to meet with as many people in the county as they can.
“With the toolkit, we’ll be asking the public, ‘did we get the tools right?’ If we hear ‘yes’ then, hopefully by the end of the year we will sit down with the county and talk about submitting a formal project plan,” said Becker. “The toolkit is not the final plan, we’re just hoping it encourages more discussion.”
The next public study session is scheduled for 3-7 p.m. April 18 at the Veterans Memorial Building.
