Bring the school district to the table and make sure the staff
gives recommendations when asked instead of proposing city
policy
At a City Council retreat, our public officials learned – well, they were told in no uncertain terms – that Gilroy has “more than enough” land for campus industrial uses – indeed, enough inventory for the next 50 years, such that a good chunk of the ever-controversial 660 acres east of the Gilroy outlets could be rezoned to accommodate a mega mall.
That mega mall is being hard-sold to the city by Westfield, a $40 billion international company which owns Valley Fair Shopping Center in San Jose. Westfield would like to build a 1.5-million square foot mall on 120 acres of the infamous 660 … and the retail sales tax dollar stars are lighting up eyes in City Hall.
A quick history lesson is in order. Five or so years ago, when the city updated its General Plan and the 660 became a controversial land-use issue the argument in favor of including the land in the city’s future plans was that Gilroy had to be ready to accommodate a large company or companies that wanted to build campus-like headquarters. Set aside the land, market our city and the well-paying jobs would land closer to home. Those against feared just this type of bait-and-switch proposal currently under consideration.
The city’s community development director, Wendy Rooney, advocated a zoning change at the retreat and asserted that “things have changed.”
The only thing that really has changed is Westfield’s proposal.
Ms. Rooney took a step further, inappropriately in our view, and argued that the public should be kept off any task force that would review the mall plan.
It’s clear that under this City Council the city staff has become so emboldened as to advocate policy proposals with impunity.
Most certainly the public should be included – even if it makes the process messier and longer.
The pros and cons of the mall proposal should be weighed and considered on many levels – not just whether the added retail dollars will feather the nest of the city’s General Fund. What about, for example, the effect on rebuilding downtown?
Beyond the obvious, we’re concerned that one other important player is not at the table: The Gilroy Unified School District.
Our schools are overburdened by facilities needs forced upon them by the city’s poorly planned growth policies. Fees fall woefully short of covering the cost of needed new facilities. The district is $15 million short in covering the cost of a desperately needed second high school.
Here is perhaps an opportunity. A multibillion dollar company wants access to prime retail market that is Gilroy. Might Westfield help build our schools?
GUSD officials should be involved in any discussions with Westfield. It should be made clear that any developer wanting access to this market needs to be a good corporate citizen, and that helping Gilroy’s public schools tops the list of ways to achieve that goal.
City Council will address this issue Monday at 6pm. The mall proposal is a potential sweeping change for our community’s future that should be weighed carefully, not impulsively pushed forward in a grab for retail dollars.
