GILROY
– The City Council chose members of a special task force that
will help guide specifics of a new agricultural mitigation policy,
reappointed two members of the city’s Planning Commission this week
and made several other appointments to various city advisory
boards.
GILROY – The City Council chose members of a special task force that will help guide specifics of a new agricultural mitigation policy, reappointed two members of the city’s Planning Commission this week and made several other appointments to various city advisory boards.
Council chose Joe Chase and Al Navaroli to fill citizen at-large slots on the new Agricultural Mitigation Task Force, which will translate specifics of an agricultural mitigation policy established in the city’s newly updated General Plan.
Under the policy guidelines adopted by Council this summer, developers would be required to replace prime agricultural land in development on an acre-for-acre basis, either through land swaps, purchases or payments to agencies. The task force would hammer out the nuts and bolts of that plan, such as how transactions would work or which agencies would be involved and how.
The policy could affect several development projects – including the controversial 660 acres of farmland east of the Gilroy Premium Outlets that’s slated for campus industrial-type development.
Chase is a veteran of the General Plan Update Committee. Navaroli, a city Parks Commissioner, was employed by Bud Antle Inc. for 31 years and was a member of the Right-Track Committee, which supported inclusion of the 660 in the city’s planning boundary.
Richard Barberi, who owns farmland in south Gilroy adjacent to the city’s new sports park, was tapped to serve as the committee’s agricultural property owner representative. Ralph Santos Jr. will take the “ag farmer” position as someone who actively farms within the city’s 20-year General Plan area, and Santa Clara County Farm Bureau President Kip Brundage will represent agricultural stakeholders as someone actively involved in the industry.
Representatives from the county’s Open Space Authority and Land Trust will round out the nine-member group, joining Councilmen Peter Arellano and Charlie Morales and Planning Commissioners Norman Thompson and Joan Lewis.
Meanwhile, Council voted unanimously Monday to reappoint Thomas Boe and Norman Thompson to the Planning Commission, which reviews subdivisions, use permits and other land-use decisions.
Boe, a program manager with General Dynamics and past president of the Eagle Ridge Homeowners’ Association, has served on the board since 2000. He has lived in Gilroy since 1999.
Thompson, a retired IBM executive, was originally appointed to the board last March. He is also a member of the Building Board of Appeals and has previously served on the General Plan Update Committee, the Gilroy Unified School District’s long-range planning committee and is a Right Track member.
Other applicants for the seats included Jorge Briones, Joe Chase, Gary Frimann and Ryan Romero.
Council also reappointed Phil Buchanan and tapped Jeanne Gage and Denise Jungling to serve on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission.
Janis Howell was reappointed to the Personnel Commission and John Young was added to fill an expired term.
Advisory board appointees
Agriculture Mitigation Task Force:
* Peter Arellano, councilman
* Joan Lewis, planning commissioner
* Norman Thompson, planning commissioner
* Joe Chase, General Plan Update Committee member
* Al Navaroli, city parks commissioner
* Kip Brundage, Santa Clara County Farm Bureau president
* Richard Barberi, farmland owner
* Ralph Santos Jr., farmer
* Nancy Richardson, Land Trust of Santa Clara County
* representative, Santa Clara County Open Space Authority
Planning Commission:
* Thomas Boe, program manager with General Dynamics
* Norman Thompson, retired IBM executive
Parks Commission:
* Jeanne Gage
* Phil Buchanan
* Denise Jungling
Personnel Commission:
* Janis Howell
* John Young
