The year that was is ending much like it began, with concern
about the economy. Financial woes and their implications have been
the dominant news story locally and nationally, as people look to
find work or hold on to the jobs that they have.
The year that was is ending much like it began, with concern about the economy. Financial woes and their implications have been the dominant news story locally and nationally, as people look to find work or hold on to the jobs that they have.
But 2009 was more than that in San Benito County. It was a year in which the long-awaited Hwy. 25 bypass opened as work began on safety improvements on the road between Gilroy and Hollister. Fremont School was demolished to make room for a new county courthouse. Flu fears brought hundreds to immunization events downtown. And the St. Francis Retreat rose from the ashes three-and-a-half years after it burned down.
What follows is a sampling of the news that The Pinnacle covered in 2009. Complete stories are available online at pinnaclenews.com.
JANUARY
Water worries
Despite news that California was heading toward its third consecutive drought year, mandatory water rationing for local residential customers was avoided because of an ample groundwater supply. However, the outlook for agricultural users was more precarious, since the state – responding to a one-third cut in Delta water exports designed to protect the endangered delta smelt – announced it would deliver just a fraction of the amount of water requested by farmers.
“It’s worse than it’s been in many years,” said Jeff Cattaneo, manager of the San Benito County Water District.
Bypass opens
The long-anticipated Hwy. 25 bypass through Hollister officially opened on Jan. 26, some two decades after voters approved Measure A, a 1 percent sales tax measure intended to fund local transportation improvements.
The 2.7 stretch of highway carries traffic from where the Bolsa joins San Felipe Road to the intersection of Sunnyslope Road and Airline Highway via an arching path through the eastern section of town.
Hunger pains
The number of families seeking assistance from Community Pantry, a local food bank, were up one-third from the previous year as unemployment rates rose.
Meanwhile, the local branch of the Salvation Army also reported an increase in emergency food assistance.
“We doubled the numbers from the past,” said Maj. Samuel Rodriguez. “The need is probably greater than ever before.”
FEBRUARY
Hotel reserves rooms in Hollister
A four-story, 88-room hotel project planned for Gateway Drive on the northern edge of Hollister was rekindled with the lifting of the local building moratorium. A San Jose firm announced plans to build a 53,000-square-foot Fairfield Inn and Suites Marriott Hotel on a cul-de-sac west of Tiffany Ford.
Bob Tiffany, owner of the Ford dealership, called the project “nothing but positive.”
“I think we clearly need some economic vitality in this community and this is a start,” he said.
The project, which has not yet broken ground, is still in the planning stages.
City avoids layoffs
Despite an economy that was “bad and getting worse,” Hollister City Manager Clint Quilter said in February that no layoff of city workers was planned.
Layoffs in previous years as well as vacant positions helped save the city money avoid letting more workers go, though most employees eventually had their work hours reduced later in the year to save money.
Hwy. 156 lawsuit
A handful of San Juan Bautista area residents filed suit against the California Department of Transportation, seeking to derail Caltrans’ plans for a new four-lane Hwy. 156 paralleling the existing route through San Juan Valley.
“If we don’t win our lawsuit against Caltrans, we will have six lanes cutting through San Juan Valley,” said Richard Morris, a retired attorney who lives near San Juan.
Given the amount of agricultural production in the valley, the existing highway presents a significant bottleneck, with traffic regularly backing up for miles along the two-lane section of 156 through San Juan Valley. Caltrans’ plans would leave the existing road in place to serve local traffic and construct a four-lane highway south of the existing road, elevated above the valley floor.
YMCA considers former Leatherback site
The San Benito County YMCA scaled back its original plans for an 85,000-square-foot facility on Union Road south of Ladd Lane school and entered into talks with the city of Hollister to instead develop a smaller project on the southern three acres of the former Leatherback property.
The city’s Redevelopment Agency purchased the land that housed Leatherback for $4 million and hopes to encourage housing and mixed-use commercial projects there. YMCA officials said a 30,000-square-foot facility was feasible on the former industrial site, though the status of the project remains uncertain as the RDA reevaluates the projects it will fund.
Furlough Fridays hit Hollister
The periodic furlough of state workers that began in early February had an impact on local vehicle owners, as the Hollister branch of the Department of Motor Vehicles on Sally Street closed its doors on Feb. 6.
The furloughs continue every other Friday in the wake of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s order that more than 200,000 state workers take days off without pay to help ease the state’s budget crisis.
Gavilan looks to expand
Gavilan College considered two local buildings – the former Pinnacle building at the corner of Fourth and San Benito streets and the vacant Fortino’s store on Tres Pinos Road – to expand its available classroom space for a burgeoning student population.
Forty percent of Gavilan’s students are from Hollister, so President Steve Kinsella said adding to the classroom space now available at the college’s Briggs Building satellite location would “take the pressure off the Gilroy campus and we’ll keep those students in town.”
Later in the year, after unsuccessful negotiations with K&S Properties, which owns both buildings, the college announced it would instead consider using portable classrooms on land it owns at the intersection of Airline Highway and Fairview Road. That site eventually will be where the college buildings an 80-acre campus over the next 20 to 30 years.
Security upgrades at SBHS
The San Benito High School Board of Trustees approved a series of security upgrades that include the installation of five additional security cameras, increased fencing around the campus and enhanced lighting.
Wrought-iron fencing was added in Baler Alley on the north side of campus and chain link fencing was put up on the east campus south of Nash Road. The entire project was estimated to cost nearly $44,000, funded through deferred maintenance and by tapping into facilities funds.
MARCH
Water project flowing smoothly
A nearly $10 million infrastructure project for San Juan Bautista was progressing well in the Mission City, funded by an $11.1 million, 35-year bond.
The project includes new water and sewer lines, a new reservoir, a water-softening plant and new curbs and gutters. The project was slated to be completed by mid-September, but is now entering the final stages of completion.
Fremont School demolished
The demolition of Fremont School at Fourth and Monterey streets was completed in March. The project cleared the site for a planned $32 million county courthouse to replace the existing facility at Fifth and Monterey.
Baler Fame Fest honors seven
The fifth annual San Benito High School Hall of Fame Fest honored seven inductees, an acknowledgement of alumni, teachers and administrators who had an impact on the school throughout the years.
Hall of Fame honorees represented decades back to the 1020s. They were: Ann Baccala (1920s); Gene Bourdet (1930s); Frank Klauer (1950s); Fernando Gonzales (1960s); Gordon Tibbs (1970s); Michael Robustelli (1980s); and Kinan Valdez (1990s).
SJB growth ordinance invalidated
A judge ruled that San Juan Bautista’s growth management ordinance, a voter-approved measure that limited growth to 1 percent per year, violated state housing law and was therefore “unlawful and unenforceable.”
The issue reached the courts in 2008 when developer Lance McAlpine called into question the validity of the city’s growth ordinance after he submitted plans for a 50-lot residential subdivision on five acres at the western end of Third Street near the city cemetery. Officials rejected the proposal, saying it was incomplete and in violation of the growth cap.
After the court ruling invalidating the ordinance, city officials said they would revert to the 3 percent growth cap approved in 2000.
Fire hits historic hotel
A fire seriously damaged the historic San Benito Hotel building on Fourth Street, east of San Benito, after investigators said an unattended flame caught the vacant structure on fire.
Crews prevented the flames from spreading to the adjacent Masonic Lodge at the corner of Fourth and San Benito.
Food bank goes solo
The former Community Pantry announced in April that it decided to become independent from Second Harvest and would now be known as Community Food Bank of San Benito County.
The change means the agency will have better access to grant funds. In March, when the change was made public, food bank staff and volunteers served more than 5,200 clients and handed out an average of 1,800 food bags each week.
APRIL
Cal Fire here to stay
The Hollister City Council approved a 30-year lease agreement with Cal Fire so it can build a new air-attack base at the Hollister Airport in a move that ended a decade of negotiations with the state while keeping the agency here for the long term.
The agreement calls for an annual base rent of $80,000, with a Consumer Price Index-correlated increase every five years that is capped at 15 percent each adjustment period. The deal does not kick in until Cal Fire completes a new air-attack base on nine acres near its current facility.
Parking fines set
Parking fines in Hollister increased significantly as the City Council also voted to bring back regular parking enforcement downtown later in the year. Most parking fines increased by $15 and enforcement re-started in September.
Since downtown parking enforcement was suspended five years ago, people have been parking for hours, if not all day, in spaces designated as two-hour spots. That prompted some business people to encourage the city to resume regular parking enforcement so customers can have more access to parking spots during regular business hours.
Stimulus aids Health Foundation
The San Benito Health Foundation received a $232,000 grant from the federal economic stimulus package. The money was used to add a pediatrician and several support staff to help increase access to health care for local youth.
The health foundation expects that the additional staffing will decrease the number of days of school that young people miss by enhancing their health care options – including immunizations.
Condors nest in wild near Pinnacles
Biologists at Pinnacles National Monument announced the discovery of the first California condor nest in San Benito County since recovery efforts began in 2003. The nest was believed to be the first in the wild near Pinnacles in 70 years.
“They are not like other birds who build nests,” said Carl Brenner, chief of interpretation and education at the monument. “They tend to find rock faces and cliff edges and they might move some items around, but they spend their time hunting for food as opposed to building nests.”
Flu continues to spread
Local public health officials spread the word about stopping the spread of swine flu as the World Health Organization upgraded the thread from phase 3 to phase 4 in late April.
They targeted local schools, labor camps and other agencies that can help disseminate information about how to prevent the spread of the illness. The first U.S. cases of H1N1 were reported in late March and early April.
MAY
Condor chick hatches in wild
A pair of endangered California condors at Pinnacles National Monument that were nesting an egg began caring for a hatched chick after biologists swapped it with another one from the L.A. Zoo to enhance possible breeding success.
The chick successfully hatched in a shallow cave along a cliff at the RS Bar Guest Ranch in Paicines. The hatched condor was the first in more than 70 years to nest in the wild in San Benito County.
City gets $2.3 million in airport building settlement
More than five years of litigation between the City of Hollister and an insurance company ended with a settlement that paid the city $2 million for an airport building destroyed by a 2002 fire.
The settlement was on top of $322,000 already paid to the city for the building’s replacement.
State spending freeze halts river trail
A proposed multi-use trail along the San Benito River was shelved indefinitely after the state froze its portion of the funding.
Dubbed the San Benito River Greenway Project, the original plan was to mix state grant money with city funds to purchase land along the river from the Nash Road crossing north to the Fourth Street bridge crossing to create a pedestrian and bike patch.
The city would like to eventually have a river park project extending from Fourth Street south to Union Road.
Courthouse security tightened
The San Benito County Courthouse increased security measures by placing metal detectors at the lobby entrances to both courtrooms and adding an additional sheriff’s deputy to patrol the building at Fifth and Monterey streets.
During a visit by the state’s Judicial Council, the governing body of the court system, “they were very concerned about the low level of security at our courthouse,” said Gil Solorio, executive officer of the local courts.
Roy Iler, operations lieutenant for the county sheriff’s office, said, “Fortunately, we haven’t had any major incidents during court, but we just want to make sure that we are all prepared.”
First H1N1 case in San Benito County
San Benito County Public Health staff reported the first probable case of H1N1 in San Benito County in early May, just as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a statement that it no longer recommends closures of schools that have identified occurrences of the illness.
The infected person was a student in the Hollister School District who had been home from school.
“Every day, we call each school and we haven’t seen any aberrations, or more absences,” said Samela Perez, the public information officer for the county’s Health and Human Services Agency’s Public Health Services.
Hollister School District officials sent letters home to parents and spent $6,000 on health supplies such as hand sanitizer and disinfectant. At San Benito High School, maintenance workers distributed hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes to all classrooms, and a message was sent to all parents.
Ridgemark foreclosure threatened
A Silicon Valley investor secured the deed from a bank for Ridgemark Golf & Country Club’s property and threatened the corporation with foreclosure.
Ridgemark’s board of directors in March voted to approve pursuit of bankruptcy shortly before being informed that the investor purchased the promissory note on the corporation’s mortgage.
Farmers Market location moves
The Hollister Downtown Farmers Market reopened in May on Fifth Street, between Monterey and San Benito streets. It still occupied portions of the grassy lot on the corner of Fourth and San Benito streets, but most vendors were located on Fifth.
DMB shelves huge project
Five days after telling San Benito County supervisors that the company had withdrawn its planned 6,800-unit El Rancho San Benito development off Hwy. 25 northwest of Hollister, DMB Associates announced a planned community of 8,000 to 12,000 homes in Redwood City along the San Francisco Bay.
DMB first publicly broached the El Rancho San Benito project in 2005 and had been working through the environmental review process when it announced plans to pull up stakes.
Hwy. 25 safety project begins
Caltrans announced that construction would begin in June on a long-awaited safety improvement project on Hwy. 25 between Hudner Lane and the western San Benito County line.
The improvements include the widening of the east and westbound traffic lanes to install concrete medians between the lanes. The idea for the project dates to the early 2000s, after several fatal accidents on the main artery between Hollister and Gilroy.
Greenwood Chevy survives GM closings
Marty Greenwood, owner of Greenwood Chevrolet, confirmed that the local business would not be one of the more than 1,000 dealers nationwide that were denied a franchise renewal.
He said the dealership was not asked to close because it is the only GM dealer in the county and that the dealership passed “with flying colors” on a seat of criteria to see how each dealership was faring.
Apple moth boundaries expand
San Benito County’s boundaries for the light brown apple moth quarantine expanded to include much of the northern section of the county.
The third discovery of the moth forced the expansion of the quarantine area, which already covered much of the city of Hollister. By the fall, more than a dozen moths had been found in the county and the quarantine area encompassed nearly the entire county. The moth feasts on up to 250 plants, such as cherries, grapes, apricots and apples.
Weather affects crop values
The county’s agriculture industry experienced an “unprecedented” 11 percent drop in production during 2008, largely due to persisting drought conditions, according to the annual crop report released in may.
The drop in overall dollar production – from $293 million to $262 million – gave the county its lowest total since 2003 and ended a six-year streak of production increases.
There was some good news, however: as nursery stock and miscellaneous vegetable and row crops had slight increases in production.
The crop with the largest decline was wine grapes, the value of which dropped $10.3 million.
Gavilan College cancels classes
After two state propositions that would have restored school funding from previous cuts failed, Gavilan College announced the cancellation of 20 percent of the planned summer offerings and 10 percent of the planned fall schedule of classes.
Students were encouraged to register for alternative classes or request a refund of registration fees.
JUNE
Local dances on national show
Hollister resident Sammy Ramirez, a 20-year-old graduate of San Benito High School, appeared on the hit Fox television show, “So You Think You Can Dance,” earning high praise for an audition that aired during the summer.
Nigel Lythgoe, president of 19 Television and executive producer of “American Idol,” told Ramirez that “the one thing that you have that a lot of other people don’t have is a beaming smile that lights the stage up.”
Landfill rates rise
The county board of supervisors voted to raise some rates at the John Smith Landfill, including the fee that franchise garbage haulers pay to dump waste there.
Other rates that rose included “source-separated” rates, which are charged when people dump green or wood waste, and the “mixed-waste” rate, which haulers pay when recyclables are not separated out of a load.
Teacher accused of lewd acts
A San Juan School teacher was accused of lewd or lascivious acts with third-grade students and released from bail on $350,000 bond. Joseph B. Hudson, 58, of Hollister, pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Slight dip in teen birth rate
The teen birth rate in the county declined between 2000-2001 and 2004-2005, the most recent years for which data is available. According to a report, the county’s overall rate went from 43.9 births per 1,000 teens to 36.9 per 1,000 – a 0.7 drop. The region covered in the study includes Hollister, Paicines, Panoche and San Juan Bautista.
Library collection on wheels
After nearly three years in the making, the San Benito County Free Library debuted its bookmobile during a June 16 ribbon cutting ceremony.
The $300,000 vehicle carries books, CDs and DVDs, travels throughout the county to reach constituents who may not be able to make it to the downtown Hollister branch.
Park impact fees hiked
For the first time in 20 years, the city of Hollister increased the fees it charges builders to help fund parks projects.
The City Council voted to raise the existing fee from $1,123 per parcel to $4,377.
Masonic Lodge clocks get ticking
The famed clocks on the tower of the iconic Masonic Lodge building at the corner of Fourth and San Benito streets started ticking again in June as part of the renovation of the 1907 building.
The ongoing project, which includes interior and exterior renovations, is designed to bring the building back to its former glory.
JULY
No biker rally downtown
Locals were in a wait-and-see mode as the normally busy Fourth of July weekend kicked off without an organized motorcycle rally in downtown Hollister.
The City Council voted earlier in the year to cancel the rally, which has been an annual event since 1997, due to concerns over “spiraling expenses.”
Bikers still visited the county, however, with an estimated 14,000 driving down to Bolado Park for the Gypsy Tour Motorcycle Classic.
Mussel pain at San Justo
Invasive zebra mussels continued to flourish at the closed-to-the-public San Justo Reservoir, as local officials worked with state and federal authorities to develop an eradication plan.
The reservoir did not open all year and is expected to be closed until at least next fall as officials look to contain the mussels to the reservoir and eventually kill them to prevent their spread to other waterways.
City budget reserve nearly gone
At a special meeting of the Hollister City Council, projections showed that the city’s rainy-day reserve would shrink to less than $300,000 by June 2010, when the budget year ends.
Since the 2001-02 fiscal year, the city has spent more than it has taken in seven years out of nine.
Senior housing project approved
Thirteen years after it was first proposed, a 166-unit senior housing development on Airline Highway between Hazel Hawkins Hospital and Union Road received the go-ahead from city officials.
Silver Oaks, a nearly 25-acre development by Marilyn Ferreira Real Estate Inc. and Miller Homes, received approval of its tentative map at a July 16 meeting of the Hollister Planning Commission. The project will feature single- and two-story models averaging 2,000 square feet of living space.
AUGUST
Budget woes hit courts
The wheels of justice began turning a bit slower in the late summer as the state’s Judicial Council voted to close every court in the state on the third Wednesday of every month to help shore up a $414 million budget gap in the court system.
Closing the book on Saturday hours
The county library eliminated Saturday hours in response to staffing and budget shortfalls brought on by local and statewide financial woes. The library’s eight employees also had their hours cut and fees and fines were raised to help bring in more revenue.
Rodrigues trial starts
Michael Rodrigues, the former 25-year sheriff’s deputy accused of raping multiple women, was in court for a preliminary trial hearing in late August. The trial gripped the community for the next few months.
County office closures
Most county offices will close on additional days over the next to years to accommodate employee furloughs mandated to save money. County employees are required to take up to 15 unpaid furlough days in each of the next two fiscal years as part of a county cost-cutting plan.
SEPTEMBER
Huge solar farm planned
One of the largest solar energy projects in the United States, encompassing up to 30,000 acres in San Benito and Fresno counties, is proposed for the rural Panoche Valley.
Solargen Energy proposes placing panels on a 1,000-megawatt solar farm. The company says that it has optioned more than 13,000 acres of land in the area and has letters of intent or is negotiating to acquire control of an additional 18,000 acres. While advocates tout the benefits of clean energy and the potential for local jobs, opponents say the project will irreversibly change the rural nature of the valley.
First local H1N1 death reported
Health officials reported that an 80-year-old woman was the first San Benito County fatality from complications of the H1N1 virus.
As of mid-September, eight people had been hospitalized locally because of the H1N1 virus.
Longtime ag commissioner passes away
Paul Matulich, a 39-year veteran of the county agricultural commissioner’s office, died at age 66. The fifth-generation San Benito County resident was remembered as a person who cared about agriculture and the farmers in the county.
“He embodied the personality of this community,” said County Administrative Officer Susan Thompson.
Rodrigues convicted
Ex-sheriff’s deputy Mike Rodrigues was found guilty of raping three women – one of them twice and was transported to the Tuolumne County Jail out of concern for his safety.
He was placed in “administrative segregation” in the Sonora jail to keep him isolated from the general jail population.
Local state parks spared closure
State parks, including Fremont Peak and the San Juan Bautista State Historic Park, were given a reprieve and will remain open at least through the end of the fiscal year, despite threats to close them in the wake of the state’s budget deficit.
Days of operation and maintenance at the local parks were cut to help save money.
OCTOBER
Bypass speed limits jump
Local agencies agreed to increase the speed limits on the Hwy. 25 bypass increased from 35 mph to 45 mph along most of the roadway and 55 mph for a relatively short stretch from San Felipe to Santa Ana Road.
The changes, approved in early October, went into effect in early November.
Gang coordinator hired
Al De Vos was hired as the county’s gang prevention coordinator, a newly-created position funded by the county, the City of Hollister, the San Benito County Office of Education and the Hollister School District.
De Vos said prevention and intervention are among his main goals.
First H1N1 doses given out locally
The first batch of 600 H1N1 nasal spray vaccines for children ages 2 to 9 arrives in San Benito County. Residents are told to contact their health care provider to get the vaccine.
Trial date for accused child-killer set
Cheryl L. Busch, the San Benito County woman accused of shooting and killing her 19-month-old child in November 2008, finds out her trial is scheduled to begin on Feb. 15, 2010.
She faces the possibility of life in prison if convicted.
Main break causes street closure
A water-main break prompted the closure of San Benito Street as crews worked to shore up old pipes running down the city’s main street.
Yellow Cab Co. gets green light
The Hollister City Council voted 3-2 to allow Monterey-based Yellow Cab Co. to compete with Hollister Taxi, which has operated in town for 26 years.
Yellow Cab expects to dispatch 8 to 10 cabs in Hollister.
NOVEMBER
St. Francis retreat rises from ashes
Nearly three-and-a-half years after a suspected electrical fire reduced the historic main building of the St. Francis Retreat Center near San Juan Bautista to little more than ashes, a modern, environmentally-friendly structure has opened in its place.
Insurance covered about half of the $6.4 million rebuilding cost, with the balance coming from donations from around the world.
Flu clinic attracts crowds
Hundreds of people waited in line – some for hours – to receive the seasonal flu vaccine at the Veterans Memorial Building in downtown Hollister.
Officials attribute the larger-than-usual crowd to hype surrounding the H1N1 vaccine and a media campaign designed to encourage locals to get vaccinated.
Shelter opens early
A temporary homeless shelter on Southside Road opened Nov. 2, nearly four weeks earlier than in years past.
Though the shelter generally operates from the day after Thanksgiving through mid-March, the Homeless Coalition of San Benito County voted to open the 24-bed shelter doors ahead of schedule.
Hillside development rules change
County supervisors unanimously approved a new version of the hillside development ordinance that requires design review guidelines and creates a “sensitive view-shed area.
Farr wants Pinnacles to be national park
Congressman Sam Farr, D-Carmel, testified in support of his proposed Pinnacles National Park Act, a bill that would elevate the monument to national park status.
The county board of supervisors submitted a letter of support for the plan, which remains under consideration.
HHH limits visitors
Hazel Hawkins Hospital joined other hospitals to allow only visitors ages 16 years or older and to limit visitors to two per room. The policy is meant to prevent the spread of the flu virus.
Rodrigues sentenced, plans appeal
Convicted rapist Mike Rodrigues was sentenced to a prison term of 60 years to life for raping three women.
Prosecutor Patrick Palacios alleged during the sentencing hearing that Rodrigues had attempted to devise an escape plan while he awaited sentencing.
Rodrigues’ attorney, Art Cantu, filed a notice of appeal. Rodrigues will be well over the age of 100 before he is eligible for parole.
DECEMBER
Breeding condor dies of lead poisoning
A blow came to the local Condor Recovery Project in December when the female bird of the first pair to nest in San Benito County in nearly 70 years died of lead poisoning.
“The loss of this nesting condor is a blow to the recovery program for the species,” said Dale Steele, program manager for the California Department of Fish and Game, in the press release.
Gomez tabbed as mayor
Councilman Victor Gomez became mayor of Hollister in early December after his peers unanimously elected him to the position. As vice mayor for the past year, Gomez – as is tradition – was next in line to become mayor. He succeeded Eugenia Sanchez.
“I feel like I bring a different perspective,” he said. “I won’t hold back expressing my feelings on issues.”
Pot shop considers Hollister
A representative from a marijuana dispensary informed city officials of his group’s intention to propose opening one in Hollister.
Scott McPhail, representing Purple Cross Rx, asked the city council to examine zoning options for a medical marijuana dispensary in Hollister’s light industrial area.
Sheriff announces retirement
Sheriff Curtis Hill, who joined the local department as a 22-year-old deputy in 1976, announced that he won’t seek reelection when his term ends in 2010.
Hill said he wants to spend more time with his family and working with nonprofit organizations in the community.
“I absolutely have no plans, no interest, to run for any other public offices at all,” he said. “I’ve had a great run at sheriff. Any other public office doesn’t match up to being elected as sheriff.”
County suspends affordable housing mandate
County supervisors directed planning staff to suspend rules that require developments to include 30 percent of units as affordable.
Planning commissioners recommended the elimination of the 30 percent requirement due to stagnant growth levels since its inception five years ago.
