Two parcels of land will still be studied for industrial and
residential development
After two years of debate, the city has approved a new growth boundary and established a permanent greenbelt around town, a move Morgan Hill leaders hope will preserve the city’s rural charm and allow enough development to drive economic growth.
“Everything is a compromise,” Mayor Dennis Kennedy said before the city council approved an expanded urban growth boundary and the new urban limit line. “We’re trying to find a solution that is, to use a trite expression, a win-win.”
Planners said the decision to establish the urban limit line was a major milestone for a city with a spotty development record, but there is still work to be done, as the two most contentious aspects of the new growth boundaries remain unresolved. City leaders must still decide how much industrial development to approve in the so-called southeast quadrant near the intersection of Maple and Foothill avenues, and how much residential development to allow off Edmundson Avenue, at the base of the western foothills.
The southeast quadrant won’t be tackled until next year, but the council set the stage Wednesday for development of the western foothills by including a disputed piece of land within the growth boundary and directing the developer to negotiate a deal with neighbors opposed to the project.
All five council members said they have reservations about building in the area, but Kennedy said they will support some development of Edmundson and De Witt avenues because “it’s our role to look at the greater good of the entire community.”
The development originally proposed on land owned by Anchorpoint Christian Academy included 60 houses on 20 acres in exchange for preserving about 84 acres of open space in perpetuity. But neighbors say that many new houses would obliterate scenic views on the hillsides, overburden the area with traffic and present drainage problems. Environmentalists have argued that approving development projects on the outskirts interferes with the city’s goal of developing downtown.
Wednesday night, an attorney for the owners of the Oak Meadows area, agreed to confer with residents and create an acceptable proposal with fewer homes in exchange for an assurance from the city that they will be allowed to build at least 19 homes on the property. The city council gave that assurance by including the land within the new growth boundary.
“We’ve heard the neighbors and what we’ve determined is that there are ways to work with the neighbors to ameliorate their concerns,” San Jose attorney Barton Hechtman said. “We would like to have an open dialogue and see what can be accomplished.”
Hechtman said his client is willing to build fewer than 60 houses, restrict so-called granny units that residents say would increase population and traffic and negotiate placement of houses.
By including the land within the boundary, the city avoided the possibility of the landowners seeking to develop the site and the projected open space under county rules. Those rules allow for fewer homes, but create the possibility of rolling foothills dotted with monster homes on hillsides and ridge lines. The homes in the Oak Meadows project will not be visible to travelers on Edmundson and De Witt.
“Having fewer homes in the wrong place will do more to damage our quality of life than having a few more in the right place,” Councilman Greg Sellers said.
Neighbors said the council made the right decision.
“I think the council struggled to try to be considerate of the neighbors and their concerns,” said Spring Avenue resident and former councilman Jeff Pedersen. “Given the circumstances, I think it’s a good position.”
Whatever the outcome of negotiations between residents and developers, the final project is likely to be considerably smaller than what was proposed. Councilman Steve Tate said he would support no project larger than 30 homes.
“We’ve done a lot of work in the community to reach that kind of a goal, to have attractive open space,” Tate said. “The question is, what price are we willing to pay to achieve it? Sixty houses is way too much to pay. Fifty is too high. … I’d really look for something in the area of 30 units.”
The council did approve the slightly less controversial development of Blackrock, 18 acres bordered by Watsonville Road and Santa Teresa Boulevard. The land, owned by developer Rocke Garcia, is essentially surrounded by other city and county residential projects and is considered to be infill, though it is not centrally located. Garcia was thrilled by the council decision.
“It’s going to be a great project,” Garcia said. “It really is smart growth.”
Before any new houses get built, the inclusion of new land within the city’s growth boundary must be approved by the Santa Clara County Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCO. Residential projects must also go through Morgan Hill’s Measure C growth control competition. No homes will be built in Blackrock or Oak Meadows until at least 2010.
Matt King covers Morgan Hill and Santa Clara County for The Times. Reach him at 779-4106 ext. 201 or mk***@*************es.com.
