Gilroy – The sales pitch would have made legendary showman “P.T. Barnum” proud, but in the end, the hype mattered less to city leaders than the chance to polish up one of Gilroy’s shabbiest neighborhoods.
On Monday night – after an hour-long public debate that led one councilman to liken Christopher Cote to the founder of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus – officials unanimously approved the developer’s proposal for 18 solar-powered homes on Gurries Drive.
The gated Hanna Square community will bring seven single-family homes and 11 townhomes to 1.1 acres on the northwest side of the street, a neighborhood one block north of First Street that has seen a string of auto thefts and burglaries in recent years. Cote’s project would clear out 14 run-down rentals and replace them with a gated community of stately homes.
“One of these units is one of my old units, and I know what that neighborhood’s like,” Councilman Russ Valiquette said. “I think P.T. Barnum would sometimes be proud of you, but all that aside, we would be doing a disservice if we expected the perfect units in there right now … If we sit around and wait for a perfect project to come through, we’ll be waiting forever.”
The comments came after nearly an hour of public comment, during which one family’s complaints about the height of the project’s townhomes – all 11 will stand three stories – were eclipsed by a litany of zealous supporters.
A fireman and sheriff sang the praises of the solar homes Cote sold them last year, while residents near Gurries Drive, including Planning Commissioner Joan Lewis, said the neighborhood needs a facelift.
Former Morgan Hill Mayor John Varela extolled the virtues of eco-friendly development and warned city council not to miss the boat.
“I met with (Morgan Hill) Mayor Steve Tate, who said, ‘If they don’t want (the project), bring it here,’ ” Varela said.
“This council has said loud and clear that we are very much a green council, and that we want these kinds of things to happen,” Mayor Al Pinheiro said. “We are very much in tune, but we also want to ask that you focus in on what we’re here about tonight.”
In its own debate, council zeroed in on parking, traffic and utility issues. Councilman Dion Bracco’s push to mandate a new traffic light at Hanna and First street was rejected as an unfair burden to place on Cote’s project, which will only add four homes to the area. The project is replacing 14 existing multi-family rentals.
Council agreed, however, that the developer should “underground” utility lines near his project and reduce the height of gates enclosing the community.
“While it may not be a perfect project, it is a good project that will rehabilitate the area,” Councilman Roland Velasco said, summing up the council’s opinion.
Cote declined to comment on the story.
Cote on Record
At several points Monday night, councilmen and staff challenged Cote’s selling points.
The developer, for instance, has repeatedly promoted the project as below market rate, but city planner Gregg Polubinsky said staff members have not used that terminology since Cote has not guaranteed home prices.
Cote said he sold the city’s first four solar-powered homes, which he built off Wayland Avenue, at discounts of $60,000 to a fireman and sheriff, among others. The “subsidies” provided to such “community caregivers,” Cote claimed, have helped reduced crime rates in neighboring Las Animas Veterans Park.
“The Gilroy Police Department doesn’t credit your project with solving the crime problem in Las Animas Park, does it?” Bracco asked Cote.
“No, I think the numbers speak for themselves,” Cote replied.
“Well you make it sound like it did, and I know the police department has been working quite hard over there for some time,” Bracco said.
In a separate public hearing after the 7-0 vote on his project, Pinheiro and Councilman Craig Gartman questioned Cote about $500,000 in profits the developer has pledged for local charities and programs.
The list of programs include Gilroy Sister Cities, an international exchange program Pinheiro has fervently supported, and the city’s sidewalk repair program, which Gartman described as “near and dear” to his heart.
Much of the funds have already been earmarked, according to a glossy promotional brochure Cote gave to councilmen, but the developer said he is setting up a task force to select charities and distribute the remaining funds.
Pinheiro said he and Gartman “wanted to get it out there that this is not something he’s giving to the city, such as (developer) James Suner, who is specifically giving $250,000 for a downtown welcoming arch. This is money that Mr. Cote will continue to have full control over.
“Chris did a hard sell and I don’t think it was needed,” Pinheiro added. “The bottom line is that I feel it’s a great project and I think it revitalizes a neighborhood that needs it.”
Many a Sideshow
On the way to Monday night’s approval, Cote’s project almost proved an ethical land mine for two appointed officials.
Planning Commissioner Joan Lewis, who lives a few doors away from the future site of Hanna Square, sat out a vote on the project earlier this month after accidentally sitting in on initial discussions. State laws bar officials from influencing matters that could benefit them financially, and Lewis did not initially realize that she lived close enough to the project to disqualify her from debate. Under state law, an official who lives within 500 feet of a housing development is deemed to have a conflict of interest, since the development could potentially affect that official’s property values.
Planning Commissioner Joan Spencer, meanwhile, has dated Cote for three years and still has the Web site for his project (www.gilroyindependence.org) registered under her name and address, according to an online registry of Web site names. Cote said she registered the site for him while he was out of the country, and that he has reimbursed her for all expenses.
The state’s Fair Political Practices Commission cleared Spencer of any financial conflict of interest in that and other matters related to the project. Spencer, who has said she plans to run for city council, sat out the vote to avoid any perceptions of bias.
