Rancho San Benito seen as entirely different model than the
failed Sun City project
With Del Webb’s Measure S going down in flames, some might see
that as a referendum on the other big project in the county
– DMB’s 18,000 home Rancho San Benito.
Rancho San Benito seen as entirely different model than the failed Sun City project
With Del Webb’s Measure S going down in flames, some might see that as a referendum on the other big project in the county – DMB’s 18,000 home Rancho San Benito.
But the issue has more nuance than simply the defeat of one development foretelling trouble for the other.
Everyone agrees that despite the failure of Measure S, there is no comparison between what Del Webb proposed and what DMB hopes to have built. Ray Becker, the local representative for DMB, believes that the failure of Measure S wasn’t a vote against growth, but merely that particular plan.
Beckersaid his firm chose to lay low during the Measure S debate.
“I think the Del Webb thing was a bit of a distraction,” Becker said. “They clearly took a much different approach and during that time we elected to maintain a lower profile.
DMB allowed Del Webb to chart its own course and didn’t get involved with them, he said.
“Del Webb came with a specific project in mind and they tried to move very quickly, whereas we’ve taken our time and spoken with the community to find out what it wants,” Becker said.
The downfall of Del Webb likely won’t have a drastic affect on DMB’s developments, but Becker said that the company will likely be delayed several months in presenting anything official to the board of supervisors.
Part of the reason for the delay is that there was a halt in public meetings during the time that Del Webb was campaigning.
DMB has learned from some of Del Webb’s ideas though, Becker said, including the potential for inclusion of senior housing in its project.
“We’re considering more of the active adult aspect. A lot of people liked what Del Webb was proposing, so we’re looking at possibly including some of that in the proposed development,” Becker said.
Originally DMB had looked at the idea of lower-income senior housing, which usually includes smaller lots and dual suites, but had given the idea less merit when Del Webb was proposing a senior development; now they’re looking at the idea again.
But a good idea is different from good execution.
“I think there were three big issues with Measure S. The first was location and the airport was a key component of that. The second was a lack of engagement with the community and the third was confusion. I think people didn’t understand the issue,” Becker said.
Those three mistakes are all things that DMB has tried to avoid, Becker said. DMB has attempted to engage the community since day one and has encouraged the San Benito County Board of Supervisors to go through the whole process before they vote, so they’ll feel more knowledgeable, Becker explained.
“The reaction we get from the people we’ve talked to is that they like our approach. We’ve engaged this community,” Becker said.
DMB’s intention is to create a project that enhances the community and doesn’t take away from what is already here. The focus needs to be on infrastructure, traffic and water, said Becker. He was adamant that a successful project should provide jobs and benefit both the city and the county.
“We’ve heard since day one that if we want change it has to be well thought out and planned and it has to provide central benefits,” Becker said.
The people in District Two, the district where DMB’s project would eventually be located, hold mixed opinions, but the consensus is that the people would like to see well-managed growth, according to District Two Supervisor Anthony Botelho.
Botelho said that the two projects are significantly different and can’t really be compared. He said that while some are apprehensive about such a project, the majority of people hold a wait-and-see attitude.
“Measure S was about land-use designation. It wasn’t actually looking at specific projects; I certainly want to see how receptive the citizens are to DMB, hopefully the process works so they can present their project to the public,” Botelho said.
Even the staunchest of opponents of Measure S agreed that comparing what DMB is proposing to Del Webb was like comparing apples to oranges. Gordon Machado, one of the lead organizers for the ‘No on Measure S’ movement, said that the two projects aren’t comparable.
He explained that DMB is going through the process and approaching the county through the proper channels, whereas Del Webb was trying to take a backdoor approach and bypass procedures.
“DMB is coming through the front door; they want to go through the planning stages first, not second; Del Webb was trying to come in and leech onto a wounded sanitation system,” said District 3 Supervisor Pat Loe. “I think the sentiment out there is that DMB is taking the time to find out what the community desires, whereas Del Webb said ‘This is our package, take it or leave it!’ The other was a totally different approach. It’s a different location. I think everything is still up in the air with DMB.”
Loe concurred that there is no basis for comparison.
“It’s not really fair to compare the two projects; I really believe DMB and Pulte [Del Webb] are two totally different developments,” Loe said. “I really don’t think that the community will see the parallels between the two projects because DMB has taken the time to educate the public, rather than running a million dollar advertising blitz.”
This week DMB plans to begin advertising in the local press again in order to explain what DMB is looking to do, Becker said.
“We’ll begin holding planning [forums] again in January for the purpose of coming up with a real land plan,” Becker said.
Patrick O’Donnell can be reached at
po*******@pi**********.com
.
