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From the Monterey County
Herald Planners
want Rancho San Juan axed By JOE
LIVERNOIS Citing a litany of potential problems, the Monterey County Planning Commission panned the huge Rancho San Juan development Wednesday. Commissioners said they believe the project north of Salinas should be written right out of the county's new general plan, which, when approved, will be the land-use bible in Monterey County. "The fiscal impacts of Rancho San Juan would by far outweigh the short-term benefits," said Commissioner Martha Diehl, adding that growth encouraged by the development would put undue stress on government services. But an attorney for one of the largest potential developers at Rancho San Juan said he believes the Planning Commission acted emotionally and succumbed to "political pressures." The Rancho San Juan action was among the highlights in what was considered a banner day in the four-year history of the county's general plan update. Planning commissioners also agreed Wednesday to recommend a completed general plan to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. Supervisors have said they want to adopt the general plan by June. The commission's action was tentative, since the plan is due back to them next Wednesday to hash out final details. Still, even a tentative recommendation from any official body is a monumental occasion in the convoluted history of the general plan. Representatives of the development and agriculture industries said they were disappointed by the commission's final recommendations, while those representing environmental interests said they were pleased. The general plan update "has been done in a piecemeal fashion and it's a disservice to the community, particularly to agriculture," said Nancy Isaacson of the Salinas Valley Water Coalition, representing the farm industry's viewpoint. Marit Evans of Corral de Tierra, a former planning commissioner, had a different view. "I'm extremely pleased with the results you've produced," she said. "You've produced a good plan, and if this board (of supervisors) destroys it, they will pay." Commissioners said the land-use plan reflects the reality of diminished resources in Monterey County. "I think it's a fair assessment of the limitations that the county now recognizes," said Commissioner Sharon Parsons, referring to the restricted capacity of major roads and a general lack of usable water. The lack of resources and services motivated the Planning Commission's rejection of Rancho San Juan, a long-controversial proposal to build a new community on rural land north of Salinas. The 4,000-home project would be built across 2,200 acres. The city of Salinas has opposed the plan, saying it would stretch the city's ability to provide service. Property owners sued the county several years ago, saying the county was dragging its feet in developing a specific plan for the area. A judge ruled in favor of the landowners, forcing the county to complete a specific plan for Rancho San Juan that was unveiled last month. But the Planning Commission recommended that Rancho San Juan be removed from the county's general plan and that, if anything, minimum development be allowed on the land. Commissioners said the project would overburden existing traffic and water supply problems, would take an "enormous" financial toll on local taxpayers to support the subdivision and would create a planned community that is likely to attract more home buyers from the San Francisco Bay Area. Mark Blum, an attorney for HYH Development, said planning commissioners fell prey to "the no-growth forces" that have developed a strong coalition in Monterey County to halt new development. HYH, a land development company based in Marin County, has been working with county planners for years to develop Rancho San Juan. "They're responding emotionally to the political pressures," Blum said. "I don't think the Board of Supervisors will pay too much attention to them." Blum said development at Rancho San Juan would provide affordable homes in a concentrated area of the property, leaving plenty of room for open spaces. He said the proposal actually lessens the water supply burden, since homes use less water than agriculture, and the developers would spend about $16,000 per home to a fund to improve road systems feeding into the development. Other highlights of the plan recommended by the commission Wednesday include: • Provisions that encourage most new development in cities or existing rural communities, where infrastructure like water and sewage systems already exist. For instance, the plan identifies Chualar, a small community south of Salinas, as a "rural center" where new development can occur if basic services can be provided to the new homes and residents. • Acknowledgment that more studies should be completed before the River Road area on the west side of the Salinas Valley should be designated a full-blown "winery corridor." "We need to know what the costs will be and who will pay them," said Diehl. "It's not appropriate to go forward without more information." Winery owners say they are frustrated with the commission's recommendations, saying that the county itself recommended the creation of winery corridors in Monterey County to promote the wine and hospitality industries. "The county got bogged down in the details," said Luanne Meador, president of the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association. • Provisions that encourage developers to create more homes affordable to low-income and and middle-income "workforce" residents of Monterey County, particularly in areas near the Monterey Peninsula. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Joe Livernois can be reached at 753-6753 or jlivernois@ |