A nonprofit housing advocate has asked the California Supreme
Court to review a lower court decision that found Gilroy in
compliance with the state’s affordable housing laws.
Gilroy Housing Suit Appealed
Gilroy – A nonprofit housing advocate has asked the California Supreme Court to review a lower court decision that found Gilroy in compliance with the state’s affordable housing laws. Public Advocates Inc., of San Francisco, accused the city in 2004 of failing to zone enough land for housing within reach of low-income residents. The city won the case in trial court and, most recently in March, at the appeals court level. Public Advocates argues that the appeals court failed to give adequate deference to interpretations of housing law by state regulators. The state Supreme Court takes up a small percentage of cases, and Gilroy city attorney Andy Faber predicted the petition would not be reviewed. The high court is expected to make that decision within two months.
Garlic Producer Clean-Up Plan
Gilroy – Garlic producer Christopher Ranch has filed a plan with regional water regulators on how it intends to avoid another wastewater spill in Uvas Creek. In early February, a still unidentified person at the farm released garlic-tainted stormwater into the creek, killing thousands of fish and destroying plant life along a 1/8-of-a-mile stretch of the creek. The plan, submitted April 30 to the Central California Regional Water Quality Control Board, details efforts to avoid mingling stormwater and wastewater, and to prevent the latter from reaching Uvas Creek. Among other things, the company is using video cameras to map out its underground drainage system. The water board has set an August deadline for implementation of the plan.
Private High School Nearly Complete
Morgan Hill – Finishing touches are under way for the city’s first private high school, Oakwood High School.
Construction of the new two-story, 16,800-square-foot building began last September. The structure contains 12 classrooms and two science labs and a computer lab.
The high school’s first students started as freshmen in August 2005, and have continued their classes in the facilities occupied by the school’s preschool, elementary and middle school programs at 105 John Wilson Way in south Morgan Hill. Those freshmen will be juniors when school begins in August, and they are scheduled to become the school’s first graduating class in June 2009.
Several private schools in Morgan Hill have middle school programs, but Oakwood is the first to open a high school program. With the new facility, the school hopes to attract students from other middle schools as well as retain its own middle school students once they leave the eighth grade.
New County Fire Chief Appointed
San Jose – New Santa Clara County Fire Chief Kenneth Waldvogel takes over the top job with a background rich in experience with the department, starting 28 years ago.
Waldvogel, who was officially “pinned” in a ceremony May 1, has served as acting fire chief for nine months. Prior to that position, he was assistant fire chief for four years.
The new chief will earn $204,951 annually. SCCFD provides service to Morgan Hill and other communities within the county, including Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and Saratoga.
Send news items to City Editor Robert Airoldi. FAX to 842-2206, mail to Gilroy Dispatch, 6400 Monterey Road, Gilroy, CA 95020, or e-mail ed****@ga****.com.
