The Gilroy City Council on Sept. 11 approved a proposal to subdivide a property at 7040 Church St. into three separate lots that would allow for future residential development.
The nearly one-acre property is at the intersection of Church and West Tenth streets. On the property is the Whitehurst house, which includes a water tank house, built in 1870 by Lyttleton and Hester Whitehurst, according to history compiled by the Gilroy Historical Society.
Lyttleton Whitehurst, who worked in the lumber industry, was elected to the Gilroy Common Council in 1876-1880, and was also elected mayor in 1892, later serving in the state senate.
The home is considered an historic site by both the city and Santa Clara County.
The property was listed for sale in 2021 with an asking price of $1,779,000. It was purchased by Andrew Ding.
The home will remain on its own parcel, while the other two vacant parcels, at 0.24 acres and 0.23 acres, could both be developed with either a single-family home with accessory dwelling unit or duplex.
City Planner Erin Freitas said no development is proposed at this time.
Jose Avila, who owns a home near the property, said he was concerned about adding more homes in the congested area.
“The problem with our neighborhood is that it’s already overpopulated,” he said. “There is traffic all day.”
