There’s a reason that
”
judicial discretion
”
is built into zoning regulations. The people expect the City
Council to use common sense when approving or disapproving of a
proposed development.
There’s a reason that “judicial discretion” is built into zoning regulations. The people expect the City Council to use common sense when approving or disapproving of a proposed development. They expect that the Council will “negotiate” on behalf of the public to strike a fair balance between profit and the public good. In approving the Mesa Ridge development the Council unnecessarily erred on the side of profit.
The project proposed by Dividend Homes is simply too dense and continues the “McMansion” look – large homes on small lots – evident in the first phases of Eagle Ridge. The City Council had an opportunity to redirect the course of development in Gilroy’s western foothills and chose instead to continue to approve sardine-can like projects as if aesthetics and neighborhood character were four-letter words.
If the Council continues to pursue the course of “there’s no such thing as a flawed housing project,” then a backlash will occur and those who would slow housing development to a crawl will be elected. The Planning Commission, which voted against this proposal, seems to understand that.
The Mesa Ridge homes, no doubt, will be nice – and, of course, expensive. But no matter how you color it, the homes are going to be placed on 6,500-square-foot lots in an area of custom and semi-custom homes that clearly is a place where density matters.
Mayor Al Pinheiro, joined by Councilman Roland Velasco, had the right idea: delay approval of the project, ask Dividend Homes and the Filice Family to return to the drawing board and see if a reasonable compromise can’t be hammered out.
That common sense approach didn’t seem to resonate at all with councilmembers Craig Gartman, Charlie Morales, Robert Dillon, Russ Valiquette or Paul Correa. They believe we need more housing and more open space. The project does preserve open space – ostensibly for the California Tiger Salamander – and Gilroy will have 60 new homes packed onto small lots.
It’s too bad. There could have been 40 or so homes, open space for the salamander and a development that promoted harmony with the area and neighbors.
Gilroy’s citizens deserve a better negotiating team. Certainly, there would have been little harm in a delay to consider the options.
What is clear after the vote is that there is little consensus among Council members regarding a vision for housing projects in general or geographic terms. That should have been the subject at the Council’s recent retreat … but what’s the point when the majority seems willing to rubber stamp every project that makes it through to the permits-allocated list?
