An agricultural tourist destination featuring a farmer
’s market, orch-ards, wine tasting, a child-sized rail system,
an education center and man-made lakes may be coming to Gilroy’s
northern edge.
An agricultural tourist destination featuring a farmer’s market, orch-ards, wine tasting, a child-sized rail system, an education center and man-made lakes may be coming to Gilroy’s northern edge.
The Farm Park has been proposed by the owners of Guglielmo Winery who hope to create a new community center that celebrates the South Valley’s agricultural heritage.
“With everything covered in asphalt and concrete, a lot of people forget about the history of the valley,” Gary Guglielmo said Friday. “We want an attraction that will not only take care of the kids that will provide education and enjoyment for everyone who comes.”
The Guglielmo family has been growing grapes and making wine in Morgan Hill since 1925. Brothers Gary, George and Gene Guglielmo operate the winery.
“With our family being in wine, we wanted to look at a use that would promote agriculture in this valley,” Guglielmo said. “Not just a farmer’s market, but an education center for kids to come by and see what different crops look like, see how they grow.”
But before the Guglielmos can move forward with their plan, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors must take the unusual step of approving a single-parcel amendment to the county’s general plan. The property the family wants to develop is a 30-acre parcel immediately west of U.S.101 and south of Masten Avenue. Currently the land is zoned as open space, part of an open space reserve set aside by Gilroy and the county in 1980 as a way to coordinate planning.
Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage said he would support the amendment. Guglielmo said he’s confident the full board will approve the change.
“I’m not concerned,” he said. “Every response from the county has been very enthusiastic about this type of project. The key thing that everyone has been excited about is something that will promote the history of agriculture in this valley.”
In approving the Guglielmo’s request to change the zoning of the property to agriculture use, the county planning office called the reserve “obsolete,” and the planning commission voted to recommend that county supervisors adopt the change. Planner Bill Shoe said Friday he hopes the supervisors will consider the proposal in May. He said his office received no complaints from neighbors about it.
Erin Gil, production manager for Grass farm’s Garden Accents, which is across Masten from the site, praised the idea.
“It sounds wonderful. I think agriculture needs any boost it can get. We’re an endangered species,” Gil said. “It’s a way to preserve an historic part of South County. It’s a way for generations of families to pay homage to their ancestors, and show the community where food comes from besides the aisles of Safeway and Nob Hill.”
Although the land is outside Gilroy city limits, it is inside the city’s sphere of influence, giving officials a limited say in the project. As yet, there’s no time frame for opening the farm park.
