San Juan Oaks Golf Club submitted an application to the San
Benito County Planning Commission Wednesday for a tentative
subdivision map for its 2,000 acres.
San Juan Oaks Golf Club submitted an application to the San Benito County Planning Commission Wednesday for a tentative subdivision map for its 2,000 acres.
Recapping San Juan Oaks’ proposal of 154 single-family homes, an 18-hole golf course/resort combination habitat and agricultural land use designation, Assistant Planning Director Fred Goodrich said the scope of work submitted would require an environmental impact report. Planning staff is looking for direction to move forward on the EIR, he said.
However, before staff could make its presentation, Commissioner Anthony Freitas asked to remove himself from the discussion for the night. Freitas later refused comment on the request.
With the absence of Commissioner Pat Loe, three commissioners were left to decide whether the EIR would move forward.
Scott Fuller, president of San Juan Oaks, said the SJO is in the next step in conjunction with the growth management system and since they have their allocations they are ready to move forward with the EIR, considered typical for the size of the project. But Fuller requested that an additional study on the use of reclaimed water and wastewater be included.
“Because our project includes the treatment of on-site sewage and then using it for irrigating the golf courses,” he said.
In part, the scope of work should specifically call for the study and the suitability of the soils to accept the treated water. Fuller said SJO is aware of the costs to prepare the EIR documentation and is willing to take that responsibility.
“We have already undertaken significant costs in completing our application for the allocations,” he said. “We recognize the allocations do not guarantee project approval.”
Commissioner Murrill Conley, noting that traffic impact is always an issue with him, asked Fuller the projected date that Caltrans intended to begin working on improvements to Highway 156, which would affect the subdivision. Fuller said he received a letter from Caltrans stating the funds for the EIR work were fully allocated and improvements to the highway are expected to begin around 2004.
“(The Council of San Benito County Governments) should have that information,” Fuller said.
Conley said there was not anything in his information packet to that effect and wanted to see something in writing. Fuller said copies of the letter had been included in the commissioners’ planning packet during the preliminary allocation hearings.
“I would like to see something definite from Caltrans stating what you’ve told us this evening in a letter form and possibly even asking a representative from Caltrans to come here and speak to the commission with some firm information,” Conley said.
Fuller said he could provide the letters.
Chairman Jack Kent said his concerns focused on additional traffic on Union Road. He said he counted 150 cars backed up where Union Road meets Highway 156.
“It was 6 p.m. at night,” Kent said. “The traffic is getting worse and worse.”
Conley reiterated that traffic is his main concern, but sewage was a major issue as well.
“Someone who we all know and love, very close to us here, has allowed rapid growth to take place and gotten the whole county involved with problems with sewage,” he said. “I don’t know what they were thinking at the time, but there wasn’t much emphasis put on the sewage system. If there was, there wasn’t any action.”
Conley wanted to delay the EIR process until he had something firm from Caltrans about traffic impacts.
“I can’t see any reason for allowing more growth in this county without the adequate roadways to handle the traffic,” he said. “I’m not totally against the project. I think there are some serious modifications that need to be made.”
Commissioner Joe Tonascia did the math between now and when the project would be completed, noting that changes could be made down the road. Tonascia then moved to go forward with the EIR, including Fuller’s request for additional studies. Kent seconded the motion and it passed 2-1-1-1.
