Passage of Measure H will ensure Cochrane Plaza shopping center
will remain economically viable
Remove the restriction against grocery stores at the Cochrane Plaza shopping center at the southeast corner of Cochrane Road and Sutter Boulevard by voting in favor of Measure H in the June 6 primary election.
The center is subject to a zoning ordinance, which specifically excludes grocery supermarkets. The restriction was imposed in 1987 to allow the center to be developed on a portion of the Morgan Hill Business Ranch and to control its mix of businesses.
Measure H would amend the city’s general plan to allow grocery supermarkets within the center.
The Morgan Hill City Council, in an effort to be fair and help the center remain economically vital, placed the amendment on the ballot because the Target store there will soon be moving to a new 650,000 square-foot retail center east of Highway 101. The council gave that center a green light last November, but must now assist Cochrane Plaza’s owners to remain competitive and not lose tenants to the new retail center across the street.
The property’s owner has asked that the allowed uses be expanded to find and attract new businesses to the center. Only the voters can change the zoning at Cochrane Plaza. A “yes” vote will help keep the center survive the loss of Target.
If voters don’t pass Measure H, all tenants at the center can leave once Target relocates and an environmental impact report has predicted it will deteriorate without the presence of a major retail store.
While the other items on the primary ballot will require voters to seriously study the issues, this one is a no-brainer. A yes vote for Measure H will ensure the center is not irreparably damaged and property owner Mac Harris won’t lose his other tenants.
We applaud the city for placing the issue on the ballot offering mitigation assistance to the center. Without such help, it would be unfairly dwarfed and out of competition with the new shopping center coming next year which promises to give city leaders $1.2 million in sales taxes per year.
The council should additionally consider other mitigation measures to help the center continue to thrive, but passage of Measure H is, at least, a step in the right direction.
