Planning commissioners approve new homes, including two
affordable housing projects
Gilroy – Planning Commissioners approved 544 new homes this week, including two major affordable housing projects by South County Housing.
On Thursday, commissioners enthusiastically signed off on the nonprofit developer’s plans for the much-anticipated Cannery project, which will create a mix of townhomes, live-work lofts and retail space at the old industrial site in downtown Gilroy. The commission vote, which represents a non-binding recommendation to city council, involved 109 market-rate units of housing. Officials have already given the go-ahead for the project’s 101 affordable units.
“This is their ticket to move ahead with the rest of their applications for this project,” City Planner Bill Faus explained. The next step for South County involves submitting detailed architectural and engineering designs.
While the Cannery project inspired a unanimous vote from the seven commissioners, South County Housing’s proposal for a 260-unit project inspired debate.
City council members last year rejected a previous version of the Rancho del Sol project that would have brought 303 units to northern Gilroy, just west of Monterey Street. The latest proposal represents a scaled back version of the project that still requires a zoning amendment to allow South County to exceed a 225-unit cap on affordable housing projects.
Commissioners approved the project in a 4-3 vote after lengthy debate on the merits of changing the city’s regulations. South County will face an uphill battle at the hands of council members, a slim majority of whom oppose the project based on fears that it will glut north-central Gilroy with affordable housing. Advocates for the project say that such fears are groundless, and that Rancho del Sol meets city guidelines for diverse neighborhoods.
Council is expected to vote on the matter by the end of the month.
On Thursday, commissioners also passed on unanimous recommendations for approval of the following residential projects:
– 100 market-rate units proposed by James Suner for Monterey Street, just south of Platinum Theaters
– 51 affordable units proposed by Sal Akhter for 9160 and 9130 Kern Ave.
– 24 market-rate units proposed by the Garlic Festival Association for 7600 Monterey St.
