Megamall, Mega-consequences
“I was calling to voice my opinion on the mega shopping mall near the outlets, I am against this. I was born and raised in Gilroy and I honestly think this is going to affect Gilroy in a negative way. What is going to happen with all the food-growing fields? Doesn’t everybody want a peaceful town? Don’t you realize this is going to increase crime rates? It’s going to cause a lot of traffic meaning more time to just get from one area to another, people who are for this are only thinking about fun, fun, fun and are being selfish. Before a plan is made people should consider that there are consequences, and rethink this and think about the children, our future and our grandchildren and how negative this will affect them, just think about it.”
Red Phone:
Caller, you need not fret because your concerns are surely shared by others, Mayor Al Pinheiro being one. Red Phone contacted Mayor Al about your call.
He said, “That nothing is done in a vacuum, we are going to do as we do in any other project, which is if they continue to do applications, we will continue to hold public hearings and have plenty of outreach to the community for them to give their input. We are responsible as the city government to balance the pros and cons of each project and the concerns you have are many of the same concerns that we all have.”
If you haven’t caught the continued coverage in the Dispatch of the proposed development by Westfield Corporation, a developer with many big commercial projects under their belt like Valley Fair, be comforted to know that in order for Westfield to begin to tackle this project they have to pay to plow.
In the Aug. 17 issue of the Dispatch, a story titled ‘Developer Must Save Farmland,’ it is stated that Westfield must preserve an equal amount of farmland in exchange for how much land they develop, in this case, 119 acres. The Local Agency Formation Commission has your interests and worries in mind when fat cat bulldozers drive into town, before they start plowing, they must preserve 119 acres or pay an amount calculated by valuing the land.
If you saw the story, you would remember this important part: “But a draft preservation policy released by LAFCO Tuesday could require developers such as Westfield Corporation to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars – perhaps millions – before they collect a cent on leases to restaurants or stores. Whether a land purchase or in-lieu fees, the LAFCO policy would require mitigation to occur within two years of annexation approval by LAFCO.”
So good caller, keep an eye on the news section for continued updates on this project and become an active voice of the city to protect what you and many others hold dear, Red Phone was a great start, but don’t stop here.
Readers:
Do you have a comment, complaint or compliment about an issue that affects Gilroy and its residents? Perhaps you’d like to suggest a turn signal at a troubled intersection? Or maybe offer up a compliment for a good job done by city workers? Let Red Phone know. But remember to leave a name and number when you call. The Red Phone won’t publish this information – it will only be used if verification is necessary. Contact Red Phone at 842-9070 or e-mail Red Phone at
re******@gi************.com
.
