Gilroy City Council to Vote On 4,000-Unit Housing Project

As cities in Santa Clara County continue to advocate for increased and affordable housing, one  may block new housing development efforts. The Gilroy City Council will decide Monday night whether a housing development of almost 4,000 units can be built.

The Urban Service Area amendment would add 3,996 residential units on 721 acres in Gilroy, encompassing land North to Fitzgerald Avenue, East of Santa Teresa Boulevard, and West of Monterey road. Fifteen-hundred of those units would be an active adult community.

"It’s too much housing too fast, too much traffic, and too much impact to quality of life," said City Councilman Roland Velasco.

Velasco says a boom in recent housing developments hasn’t kept up with job opportunities. He says too many housing projects are already in the pipeline, and instead the city should focus on commercial development.

A report by the community development department finds the housing project would result in the loss of about 450 acres of farmland, and would be inconsistent with air quality control measures as organic compounds and dust are emitted during construction.

The Gilroy Police and Fire department reported a new firehouse and office space would be needed to man the new area. Gilroy Unified School District would build a new elementary school.

The city council will vote Monday night following public comment. If passed, the housing project will go to the Santa Clara Local Agency Formation Commission for approval.

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