A bit of shape-shifting took place Wednesday night when the City
Council approved a new focus for two plots of land on Cochrane
Road, making way for a specialty grocery store and some entry level
housing.
A bit of shape-shifting took place Wednesday night when the City Council approved a new focus for two plots of land on Cochrane Road, making way for a specialty grocery store and some entry level housing.
Both sites had been reserved in the general plan for industrial use since they are in or near business parks. A 7.72-acre plot at Cochrane and Madrone Parkway, across from the Cochrane Plaza shopping center, was rezoned to fill a business need at the north end of town.
Toeniskoetter and Breeding, Inc. President Brad Krouskup told the council his company wants to offer three unmet needs in the Madrone Business Park area. TBI developed the business park just north of the parcel in question.
“We want to offer the business community more services during the day,” Krouskup said. “We want to service the homebound commute traffic, and the growing residential population at the north end of town.”
He insisted that none of the permitted uses would compete unfairly with a much larger DiNapoli commercial center on the drawing board for the northeast corner of Cochrane and Highway 101 intersection, across from DePaul Health Center.
While DiNapoli plans a large grocery store – the city has none north of East Dunne Avenue – TBI is targeting smaller upscale stores such as Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. Council approved the grocery store if it was between 15,000 and 50,000 square-feet but no larger. The DiNapoli store would be much larger, Krouskup said.
The center could also offer a drug store, arts and crafts stores – possibly a Michael’s – restaurants, personal and financial services and even a wine tasting venue as long as it was part of a larger store.
Council members noted that the mix of stores would boost shopping possibilities for the north end of town but were concerned that it might take specialty shops away from downtown.
The second plot of land is 18 acres on the southeast corner of Cochrane and Monterey roads, across from South Valley Developer’s Gateway Center, a gas station, mini-mart, carwash project. With the new zoning from industrial to multi-family medium, residential possibilities increase for the area.
SVD president Scott Schilling told the council that entry level, market-rate units are sorely needed in Morgan Hill.
Darrel Fry, who said he was a business owner of a mortgage banking firm in town, backed Schilling.
“I’m concerned about the housing stock close to my business,” Fry said. “I have a problem trying to bring experienced people from out of state because of the lack of housing stock.”
Both rezoning requests were unanimously approved by the council.
• A Planning Commission discussion of two cellular antennae, one adding to an existing antenna at the Vineyard Town Center, and a new one near A Children’s Garden day care center on East Dunne Avenue were continued, according to Joe Mueller, commission chair.
