Downtown vision finally takes shape in Specific Plan
Gilroy – The city’s vision for the downtown has finally taken shape in a single document after two years of study, setting the stage for debate on how much free reign developers should have to pursue that vision.
The draft Downtown Specific Plan and associated studies project that the area – a corridor along Monterey Street stretching from Leavesley Road to Luchessa Avenue – can sustain an additional 1,576 residential units and nearly a million square feet of commercial space over the next 20 years. At those levels, the area could add an average of 79 housing units and 49,700 square feet of commercial space annually.
City councilmen have a few months before taking a final vote on the Downtown Specific Plan, which will undergo a last round of review tonight by the task force that crafted the document, but councilmen are already considering how to implement the plan in a way that sustains the momentum of downtown development.
Councilman Paul Correa, an urban planner, sees no reason to restrict the pace of construction. In fact, he believes city leaders should free the entire 160-acre corridor from the city’s growth control measure, known as the Residential Development Ordinance (RDO).
“Number one – it’s in the core of the city and it’s not promoting sprawl,” Correa said. “It’s smart growth. It’s encouraging the growth of housing which is critical to economic development. It’s critical we let the market dictate in terms of how we allow the downtown to revitalize. The RDO handcuffs the specific plan from being implemented.”
Mayor Al Pinheiro and other council members have expressed a more reserved approach.
“You don’t want to open the floodgates to the downtown any more than the rest of the community, but you want to make sure you’re filling the needs,” he said.
While opposed to a “blanket exemption,” he believes the downtown area should be freed from the slower pace of a city-wide RDO process, which requires developers to compete for a limited number of building permits every few years. The city has already doled out most of the market rate permits allowing home starts through 2013, and councilmen have found themselves having to add additional permits to meet demand for downtown construction. A handful of projects are already under construction along Monterey Street, with more than 20 others proposed for the area.
While councilmen may differ on the pace of construction, they concur on the need to maintain policies that helped inject new life into the area.
City leaders have credited policies such as the waiver of downtown development fees and loosened parking restrictions, all temporary measures taken at the recommendation of the downtown task force, for spurring a flurry of development.
The draft plan incorporates some of those ideas, such as tailoring development fees by district to attract the right businesses to appropriate areas. For instance, restaurants or specialty stores could receive waivers in the historic core of the plan area, while larger commercial or retail businesses would get fee breaks in outlying areas.
Gary Walton, a local developer and task force chairman, acknowledged the importance of continuing incentives to spur development, as well as allowing construction to proceed at a healthy pace. But as officials forge ahead with ideas for continuing downtown development, Walton stressed the overarching goal behind the years of planning.
“What you want is quality projects. That’s really the key,” he said. “I think the city has a right to say we’re going to waive some fees, but we want to raise the bar, we want to see quality development. …Downtowns are never static. They’re either improving or they’re declining. They’re never flat.”
The Downtown Specific Task Force will review the draft specific plan tonight at 6pm. Associated parking, traffic, and environmental studies are expected to be complete by the end of August. The Planning Commission and City Council will review the combined study in the fall.
