HOLLISTER • SAN BENITO COUNTY
A New SV Media publication
Friday, July 28, 2017
sanbenito.com • Vol. 144, No. 30 • $1
Formula One proposed for San Juan Bautista TRACK AND LUXURY AMENITIES MULLED FOR 550-ACRE HISTORIC RANCH By Roseann Hernandez Cattani Editor
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GARLIC FESTIVAL 20 1 7 G U I D E
Roseann Hernandez Cattani
San Juan Bautista planning commissioners will revisit an ambitious proposal to transform a nearby 550-acre ranch into a world-class car racing destination at its regular meeting next week. On August 1, the fivemember board will hear from WY2M, Inc., a Los Gatosbased company that wants to bring Formula One Grand Prix and GP Moto Racing to San Benito County. The proposal, which includes a raceway, convention center, eateries, luxury condominiums and hotel, as well as high-end shops and boutiques, was initially considered by the San Benito County Interagency Review Committee on June 15. The committee noted several potential areas of concern, including noise and traffic impacts and availability of water and sewer capacity, and directed the applicant, WY2M president, William Yao, to “formally engage the City of San Juan Bautista and its special service districts to see if such a proposal would be welcomed by them.” The proposal, Motor & Technology Center of Excellence, is still in its very early stages of the preliminary review process, according to San Juan Bautista staff, and
SEASONS BEST Dick Swank poses before a row of recently harvested heirloom cherry tomatoes at Swank Farms in Hollister on Tuesday. The heirloom
tomatoes are sold at the Hollister farmer’s market and showcased in dishes served at area restaurants, including The Grove at Leal Vineyards.
Best of the Season SWANK FARMS HEIRLOOM TOMATOES AT PEAK RIPENESS
SOUTH VALLEY | SAN BENITO 2017 VISITORS GUIDE INSIDE
Well known in the region for the massive corn
tomatoes since the late 1980s, but in recent years, the trend has really caught on. “Heirlooms taste ten times better as the other varieties,” said Swank, who later explained the best time to enjoy the multicolored, multi-shaped
tomatoes are now - from June to September. Swank heirloom tomatoes are sold at the downtown Hollister farmer’s market on Wednesdays, as well as farmer’s markets in Morgan Hill, South San Jose, Saratoga and Fort Mason in San Francisco.
HOLLISTER CA. PERMIT #48
****ECRWSS**** Residential Customer
Cake, anyone?
Cannabis Ordinance The Hollister City Council will hold a public hearing August 14 at a special session to consider approval
of four medical cannabis operations within city limits. The meeting was initially to be held on August 1, but due to unforeseen circumstances, was postponed, according to city officials. Pacific Organic Wellness Inc. is requesting city approval to operate a distribution facility at 1802 Shelton Drive. Jam USA LLC and YHL Inc. are requesting approval to operate manufacturing facilities at 1971 Airway Drive. HSC Ventures, LLC is seeking approval to operate a medical cannabis cultivation facility at 120 Fallon Road.
of wood-fired oven used to make his pizzas. In starting the business, he is also bringing a taste of his family’s home country to his family’s hometown in Hollister. The Felice family is from the Calabria part of Italy and has deep roots in San Benito County as well. With the opening of Forno, meanwhile, Hollister will once again
The Vault, he has been vocal in his opposition to the current plan, leading to the petition drive this summer. In response to Friend’s complaint, the commission concluded that Velazquez’s communications “do not fall under the Political Reform Act’s conflict of interest prohibitions” and the FPPC would not pursue the matter further. Now, it appears it is up to the state’s top attorney to weigh in on the matter.
TURN TO PIZZA • A8
Graves, after the Hollister Free Lance goes to press. The story will be updated online at SanBenito.com. If this sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Last year, Councilman Ray Friend filed a complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) against Velazquez, which asked the agency to investigate whether the mayor had a conflict-ofinterest by speaking out against the possible sale of the 400 block when it first went before city council. While Velazquez has recused himself from subsequent council decisions regarding the parcel due to his ownership of a neighboring building,
The San Benito County chapter of the national nonprofit organization Birthday Cakes 4 Free started last spring and group members have been bringing cakes, cupcakes and muffins to low-income seniors and children ever since then. Since the group started in June, its members have delivered about five cakes a month to the Emmaus House, Chamberlain's Children Center and the assisted living facility Whispering Pines Inn. Now they're looking to expand to individual homes in the county. A2
Solar revisions
San Juan residen
City plans are for office space for the Community Foundation for San Benito County, some retail and a handful of condominiums. While Velazquez collected an estimated 2,465 signatures, more than the 1,600 required to force the city council to revisit its decision to sell the parcel to the nonprofit and the Del Curto Brothers Group, developer of the project’s commercial and residential component, the city clerk has reached out to the California Attorney General’s Office to check if the mayor is acting within his legal right as an individual to undertake the petition. An opinion is expected on Friday, according to
Project planned for Y Road
KATIE HELLAND •REPORTER khelland@freelancenews.com
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A $16 million bridge stretching 900 feet across the San Benito River is planned to connect Y Road and San Juan Bautista. But in this rural area, the number of people it will serve is small. “It's like our own bridge to nowhere,”
The Hollister City Council is still on recess, but there’s activity at city hall. City Clerk Tom Graves is validating signatures for the 400 block petition that Mayor Ignacio Velazquez submitted for certification earlier this month, after leading a successful signature gathering effort. The petition seeks to give voters a say on what type of development will occur on the vacant, city-owned grass lawn on San Benito Street, a crucial parcel at Hollister’s busiest intersection.
The company vying to build a 247-megawatt solar farm in Panoche submitted a draft supplemental environmental impact report addressing plans to examine impacts under a revised, reduced proposal. PV2 Energy filed the supplemental draft EIR on Dec. 23. The prior company overseeing the project, Solargen Energy, had an initial EIR approved by the county board in late 2010. A5
Reporter
SPORTS
CITY SEEKS INPUT FROM STATE’S TOP ATTORNEY Nicholas Preciado
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including The Grove by Leal Vineyards. “We grow different varieties of cherry tomatoes, beefsteak, pineapple stripe,” said Dick Swank, at the Swank Farms ranch on Tuesday. The landmark farm has been growing heirloom
400 block petition goes to AG Soph surge
PAID
Editor
A year ago, Brad Sparrer was the No. 5 player in the lineup on San Benito High’s golf team. But entering the 2015 season—practice starts on Feb. 1—the 5-foot-8, 140pound sophomore will likely be the Haybalers’ No. 1 player. Sparrer’s meteoric rise came the good old-fashioned way: hard work. B1
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE
Inside this issue: The Garlic Issue with Visitor Guide insert
By Roseann Hernandez Cattani
maze they thrill families with each Halloween, Swank Farms in Hollister has another show-stopping crop this summer, their delicious heirloom tomatoes that are stealing the scene at regional farmer’s markets and area restaurants,
➝ Attorney General, 4
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