Measure F will only shift 100 from 250 units allowed to
downtown’s core
Morgan Hill – When voters considered Measure F last week, many of them were unsure exactly what impact it would have on Morgan Hill if it passed, according to many people standing in line at the precincts; one thing it won’t do is increase the housing growth limit.
Measure F will amend the city’s slow growth plan, which was originally adopted in 1977. The plan specifies that 250 housing units may be build each year, reaching a population ceiling of 48,000 in 2020. Currently, the city’s population is approximately 36,000.
The Morgan Hill City Council, because Measure F was approved, can authorize 100 housing units to be built downtown, but those units will be subtracted from other areas, so the total number of units will not change.
More than half of the voters – 52.25 percent, or 4,341 – voted in favor of the measure. The measure received 3,967 “no” votes, or 47.75 percent of the total 8,308 votes.
City Manager Ed Tewes said the measure calls for the council to adopt a process for adding the units downtown.
“The new council will be seated Dec. 6, and they have a goal-setting retreat planned in January; I would imagine that Measure F will be an important subject at that retreat,” he said.
The downtown core is defined as the area north of Dunne Avenue, south of Main Avenue, east of Del Monte Avenue and west of the railroad tracks.
Anthony Goularte, owner of Associated Concrete, said while he is moving his business, which is located on the west side of the railroad tracks, it is not because of Measure F.
“My property doesn’t even fall under Measure F,” he said. “I was approached by the city and asked if I would consider moving my business in order to put up residential properties. The area was re-zoned from light industrial to high-density housing, and I’m willing to cooperate and try to make it work.”
The flea market property will also be used for high density residential development, he said.
Theresa Kiernan, executive director of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, said she is aware that some voters had no information about the measure, while others had just a little information, “which is just as dangerous, because they had the wrong information.”
She said some people believed the measure would add affordable housing to the downtown, some believed the 100 units would be in addition to what the growth control measure already allows.
But, Kiernan said, businesses pulled together to distribute postcards to inform people about the measure and to put up posters.
“And so, though I was holding my breath, we were able to pull it off,” she said. “We are thrilled and excited, because we know that a major component in revitalizing a downtown is to provide an opportunity for people to live there, to take advantage on a regular basis of the services and products that are offered there … I congratulated the council, number one, for even putting that measure on the ballot for us, they really stepped out of the comfort zone with that. But everybody wants a strong downtown, and there are things we need to be doing, the community as whole, to support the downtown.”
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106 ext. 202 or at md****@*************es.com.
