The future of the Sargent Ranch site is officially open for discussion. While I am a big proponent of property rights, I do believe that in some situations, overriding concerns can place limitations on them.
I have attended seminars on “takings” at League of Cities conferences and I feel that there are several viable and lucrative options remaining for the land owner to not warrant this claim. It is well known that the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band claims the proposed development area as an historic part of their heritage. For me, this is a secondary consideration which lines up with my primary concerns. I can see no reason to despoil this pristine open space, when gravel can be obtained elsewhere without the environmental damage required here. Long-established wildlife corridors will be severely disrupted and the air quality in the region will be diminished.
An additional concern for Gilroy will be the impact of large gravel trucks entering and leaving the highway, along with the gravel that will invariably fly off and chip your windshield. I need not remind you that Amazon is considering establishing a distribution center in Gilroy, and with it, all the additional traffic that goes along with such an operation. Also, while under construction, we can expect major traffic congestion at the Highway 101/25 interchange for at least a decade or possibly longer.
For many years, Gilroy and South County have been forced to bear the burden for things over which they have no control. So now, in this matter, in some small way, we can be the captain of our fate. I would urge the council to vigorously oppose the gravel mine expansion.
Robert H. Weaver
Gilroy
