The current San Benito County Board of Supervisors is planning
to make a push to pass a land use ordinance that would limit
housing development on our hillsides.
The current San Benito County Board of Supervisors is planning to make a push to pass a land use ordinance that would limit housing development on our hillsides.
They want to try to have it done before January, when three new members, with different views on development, will take their seat on the county dais. It’s understandable that supervisors, who have been working on the ordinance for a couple of years, want to finish the effort before their time in power comes to an end. And the merits of hillside development can be debated.
But what seems clear is that the voters made their voices heard on development issues when they sank Measure G, which proposed severe growth restrictions, in March with 69 percent of voters saying no. Measure G included proposals for limiting hillside development.
So, instead of making changes piecemeal to the county’s General Plan, we think the current board should lay the groundwork for a broader scope of action. Board members should begin the process for a comprehensive General Plan update for San Benito County.
A General Plan is, perhaps, the most vital document a government has. It guides development both philosophically and practically by designating areas for commercial, residential and industrial development. It designates areas for agriculture. It can designate areas for open space. And, it lays out the vision for where the county sees itself going for the next couple of decades.
The county has never done a comprehensive update of its general plan. Different elements are updated periodically when issues arise. The last was an update of the land-use element in 1998.
Now seems a good time to take a longer look. Measure G stirred public passion over land-use issues. That doesn’t happen too often. The county could capitalize on that by inviting residents to public meetings to shape the plan. Also, a group of dedicated citizens calling themselves Vision San Benito already is meeting to create a document laying out a road map for the county’s future. The county, again, could capitalize on the efforts of those residents by incorporating their work and findings into a new General Plan.
Also, the county is at a crossroads. Hollister is working to lift the sewer moratorium, which has stifled growth – both residential and economic – in the city. There are high hopes that the local economy will flourish once a new sewer plant is up and running. County leaders can work with the city to ensure economic development will progress in a logical fashion benefiting all the residents of San Benito County.
There has been a lot of fighting over individual fiefdoms and the appearance of political payback since Measure G was defeated. Wouldn’t it be great if our local leaders had the courage to change the tone of leadership and chart a new course that incorporates the residents to plan a prosperous, thriving future for San Benito County?
A county general plan update, while undoubtedly a lot of effort, will help us get there.
