The Morgan Hill City Council approved, no questions asked, the
$4.45 million purchase of the land commonly known as Uesugi Farm’s
Pumpkin Patch to eventually develop it into parkland.
The Morgan Hill City Council approved, no questions asked, the $4.45 million purchase of the land commonly known as Uesugi Farm’s Pumpkin Patch to eventually develop it into parkland.
The Uesugis had farmed the 43 acres south of city limits for decades, but converted it into the pumpkin patch, featuring hay rides and pumpkin selling, in the early 1990s, said partner Pete Aiello. His family tried to buy the land several times, but the landowners knew that one day someone would offer more than what they could, he said.
“That is a big number,” Aiello said of the city’s price. “Our best offer was probably less than half that. (Mock) knew he was going to cash in … I can’t blame him. This is easy money. He’s a lot smarter than we are. He just buys land and sells it as opposed to working it.”
When the city decides to move forward with its park development on the acres at 14465 Monterey Road, Aiello said the most likely scenario would be that the pumpkin patch would be moved to family-owned land off Highway 25 south of Gilroy. Aiello estimated that between 100,000 and 150,000 visitors flock from throughout Northern California to visit their pumpkin patch.
Uesugi Farms’ main crop is peppers and they operate about 1,500 acres throughout California and another 700 in Mexico. Most of the land is leased.
Uesugi Farms leases the pumpkin patch land for about $24,000 a year, Aiello said. Once the city finalizes the purchase, it will collect this revenue and offset any operating expenses, according to the staff report.
The land will be paid for out of the city’s Park Development Fund, which collects developer impact fees.
When asked why the council didn’t consider the purchase as a separate item, Mayor Steve Tate said it was a straightforward decision and park development isn’t likely to occur in the next two years.
City Manager Ed Tewes alerted the council of the pumpkin patch purchase, which was among the items on the city’s consent agenda that is adopted in one fell swoop rather than deliberated individually.
“As soon as we develop something we have to maintain it, and where are we going to get the money for that?” Tate said. “But we can go ahead and pull it into the city and get that stuff done.”
The purchase amounts to about $100,000 an acre. Tewes said this was a “price consistent with the values of (other, nearby) restricted land.”
Tewes said the land “fully meets the criteria set forth by the Planning Commission and the Parks and Recreation Commission.”
The criteria, defined by the council in February, included buying between 35 and 40 acres for parks this year. The pricetag – slightly more than $4 million – fit the goals as well.
The city’s general plan calls for a standard of five acres of parkland per 1,000 people. Now, the city has about 4.2 acres per 1,000.
The Uesugi Farms Pumpkin Patch will open for the fall season Oct. 1. The 19th annual giant pumpkin weigh-off will be Saturday, Oct. 10.
The patch will be open daily from about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. initially, with longer hours as Halloween approaches.
Details visit www.uesugifarms.com.
