To get what it believes to be
”
smart growth
”
downtown, the city council wants to shirk the very ordinance
that ensures growth control in Morgan Hill. To do this, it will
revive a measure that was defeated by voters just three months ago
and spend $133,028 to put it on the ballot.
To get what it believes to be “smart growth” downtown, the city council wants to shirk the very ordinance that ensures growth control in Morgan Hill. To do this, it will revive a measure that was defeated by voters just three months ago and spend $133,028 to put it on the ballot.
The city tried to circumvent the growth control system for the downtown area with Measure H – which would have exempted 500 residential units in the downtown from the city’s strict growth control ordinance, while maintaining its population cap of at or below 48,000 people by 2020. However, Measure H failed by ten votes in November.
Since councilmembers think Morgan Hill residents’ worries over growth control are to blame for the failure, they’re pitching it again, in May, on the state’s special election ballot. The city’s estimated cost for the special election is $133,028. According to the staff report, staff will return to the council for appropriation of funds to cover these costs.
In a 4-0 vote Friday during a special city council meeting, with Councilwoman Marby Lee absent and Larry Carr participating via telephone, the council approved holding a special city election May 19 with a retooled Measure H.
The new measure will feature revised wording that make the measure sound more smart growth than rampant development, according to Mayor Steve Tate.
“To increase opportunities for economic growth in the city while preserving the citywide population cap of 48,000 residents by 2020, shall an ordinance be adopted to exempt a total of 500 residential units in a 20-block area of downtown from the City of Morgan Hill’s (growth control system) and to authorize the City Council to adopt policies and procedures implementing the exemptions?”
Councilmembers saw Measure H as the linchpin to their vision of a bustling downtown, which includes mixed-use housing with retail or offices on the ground floor and residences above.
“I really like what (City Attorney Danny Wan) has done with it,” Mayor Steve Tate said. “It’s built around the smart growth argument, with the benefits first to make sure (the voters) understand we’re not violating the elements of growth control.”
The council will solicit support from Sierra Club officials to promote the measure’s purported “green” aspects, Tate said. If it passed, the 500 units would be concentrated downtown, allowing for more open space in other areas of town. These 500 units would also be near the Caltrain station, and housing near public transportation could increase its use.
Downtown advocates, including Downtown Association Executive Director Jorge Briones, were on hand Friday to lend their support for the measure and offer assistance to promote the new measure, which the council agreed was needed to get this version approved by voters.
“I’m prepared to move forward to help educate on Measure H and the benefits of it for downtown,” Briones said.
Chamber of Commerce member Brian Sullivan agreed.
“I don’t think voters totally understood (Measure H),” he said. “By going forward and explaining it a little better, you’ll have a better chance at getting an improved measure passed.”
There was no organized opposition to Measure H, but there wasn’t organized support for it either.
Councilman Greg Sellers said it was imperative to do a much better job at promoting this measure.
“It would truly be a huge setback downtown if this measure failed,” he said.
