[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6571833,"mediaKeyId","3105433-8fb5c7a025625ff051225e68d5655cba","parentId",3105433,"title","Hollister council presses county for clearer fire-contract terms, reaffirms three-person engine staffing","audioSeconds",626,"startMs",752000,"endMs",1378000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3105433-8fb5c7a025625ff051225e68d5655cba&start=752&end=1378","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3105433-8fb5c7a025625ff051225e68d5655cba/thumbnail_752000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6571833/Hollister-City/San-Benito-County/California/Hollister-council-presses-county-for-clearer-fire-contract-terms-reaffirms-three-person-engine-staffing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571833-5203677ceec726e1f87442a645df54f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136950&Signature=KRuQtvrGEQu7Y52WUSQDb9eQJUJjHQKwjAwpC1jHoBNykF7-YNoCijN705sM2tL73XCOEklBT8p1RW1bdioH-Zmz3fTqtwJpVeDZYvwT9sBq-mzr8eUtiM18Yma9bsZcSDdg0HLj9rEnEgVQOD5MiO2KS566HQqAac2ZwHUfvTS5w9VDqNrRxvERG1kqGwV8tRSw6cJBpXHx7XFHBZqEWRVybhEkmVfoYdxUEnaVzaqovIqRBkGTGkteR9YbSETnpCxpyjbZ1MaKMqBOVYweT91xeoVIu3HmLycUx2Kw9GV4dtG72Yz8yek2kGmD3pcwU~Nyjlrq4yAx0ElGUtHPUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-24T05:46:58.68Z","article","Hollister city council members on April 20 directed staff and the ad-hoc negotiations committee to reconvene with San Benito County and the City of San Juan Bautista to press for clearer, more balanced terms in a proposed amendment to the region's fire-protection services contract.

The council's discussion followed a lengthy staff presentation of a proposed Option E framework, which staff said would treat the county and San Juan Bautista “as one partner” and set a single comprehensive price for shared fire services. City staff described proposed fiscal changes that would shift the contract from a calendar-year basis to a fiscal-year basis, add an annual 8% escalator beginning in fiscal 2025–26, and set the first-year combined compensation at $6.5 million. Staff also said the county and San Juan would be asked to provide a one-time payment of $1,250,000 to Hollister by May 9, 2025, to offset service costs in the current fiscal year while negotiations continue.

Why it matters: Hollister currently provides engine companies that respond across the county. Council members, the city manager and the fire chief repeatedly said reducing minimum staffing to two firefighters per engine — a proposal the county has discussed — would undermine both firefighter and public safety and could produce higher long‑term costs or reduced service levels.

Chief Jonathan Golding summarized the city's methodology for determining cost-sharing and said his analysis showed a roughly 60/40 split in call volume and benefit in favor of Hollister. “I truly believe … we are better off together, working together the three entities,” Golding said, describing why Hollister sought compensation from the county and San Juan Bautista for the benefit of providing services outside the city.

Public comments: More than a dozen residents and local first responders urged the council not to accept two‑person staffing or to approve the contract terms as proposed by the county. “This offers no benefit to Hollister,” speaker Mia Casey said, saying the amount proposed to the city left Hollister taxpayers subsidizing county fire service “by nearly $3,000,000.” Several speakers called the two‑on‑a‑truck proposal “a joke” and insisted it would put lives at risk; one former first responder said, “Three is non‑negotiable.”

Council direction and next steps: After discussing the county and San Juan Bautista responses to the city's Option E framework and hearing public comment, the council voted informally (consensus/thumbs) to have the ad-hoc committee meet again with county and San Juan representatives and to reconvene the negotiating parties with the city's fire chief and staff present. Council members repeatedly stated the minimum staffing standard should remain three firefighters per engine and asked staff to press for the $1,250,000 offset payment and for clearer reimbursement terms for development-related impact fees and SCR 911 dispatch cost allocations.

What the staff presentation said: Staff described several specific contract terms under consideration: (a) a shift to fiscal-year billing, (b) a first-year combined payment target of $6.5 million (with an annual 8% escalator thereafter), (c) a one-time $1,250,000 payment due May 9, 2025 to offset current-year costs, (d) quarterly reimbursement to Hollister for county-collected development review and inspection fees on city work, (e) collaboration with SCR 911 to refine dispatch protocols and cost allocation, and (f) mutual termination language (a 270‑day notice with a 90‑day negotiation period described in staff materials) designed to avoid unilateral withdrawal that could compromise operations.

Disagreements among jurisdictions: Staff described recent meetings among county and San Juan Bautista officials and the county board of supervisors' direction to pursue different staffing proposals; city staff said both the county and San Juan Bautista at times proposed maintaining only two firefighters per apparatus, which conflicts with the council's stated minimum of three. The council repeatedly said it will continue negotiating in “good faith” but will resist any terms that reduce staffing or remove meaningful termination protections.

Ending: City staff and the ad-hoc committee will schedule another multi‑party meeting in the coming days to continue negotiations. The council instructed staff to return with written terms and, if necessary, additional legal and fiscal analysis to support future public decisions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Hollister City Council Meeting- April 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Hollister city council members on April 20 directed staff and the ad-hoc negotiations committee to reconvene with San Benito County and San Juan Bautista to press for clearer, more balanced terms in a proposed amendment to the region's fire-protection services contract.","taxTitle","Hollister City, San Benito County, California","taxId",55350,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6571825,"Council opts to use earlier draft plan, keeps urban growth boundary off the table and denies multiple annexation initiations",6761,2319000,9080000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3105433-8fb5c7a025625ff051225e68d5655cba&start=2319&end=9080","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3105433-8fb5c7a025625ff051225e68d5655cba/thumbnail_2319000.jpg","/articles/6571825/Hollister-City/San-Benito-County/California/Council-opts-to-use-earlier-draft-plan-keeps-urban-growth-boundary-off-the-table-and-denies-multiple-annexation-initiations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571825-46fe4f72bf5b3580a1c6fa4130ad00c0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136950&Signature=MKJPeqt17QIBxRORmRS931PZUuY52xSoThvJ6qHyDOVui6KHilKHiSC~yrsV7TAjrAhFFrUYID8~Cz6VGyTJsekrh5WdD1cnxUC4kTFpkRab2lP0GepHaICnGwYsKrwZknwhx6XRJ5Rjz0hQTOe4VbzhLVmwuGbZDAwcEdBgLCQ0hiVrUWM9OqG3mpKT~bm~THa7ngudEJKqtQwAz16mjw~K1fZcOZ0GZFbwCScSUba~re5DCPVjDZtXksq97D2KFus9Xv9DesOwAGrN5VQ45VdrC3qePrNIyr9629thcQiYTw~XnHwYFIfGuWTphJvO0ZY6aUortx1xv21bkNwCfA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hollister City Council on April 20 directed staff to proceed on a narrowed general-plan update path and took a series of votes on pending annexation and general-plan initiation requests.

Key direction on the general plan and housing element

- Baseline approach: The council chose the narrower path staff labeled “GP 2a” — to amend the 2005 general plan using the prior public-review drafts rather than launching a full, new comprehensive update. Council members asked staff to use the April 2023 public-review draft as the primary baseline while incorporating selected policy changes from the 2024 draft where needed to meet housing requirements. Council members specifically directed staff to include a North Gateway land‑use change to mixed use (allowing residential and commercial) to help supply candidate housing sites for the sixth‑cycle RHNA obligation.

- Housing element: Staff said the city’s November 2024 housing-element draft assumed adoption of the 2040 general plan and therefore could not be finalized until the council established which plan and land‑use changes would apply. Under GP 2a, the council instructed staff to prepare the housing-element work to follow the amended general plan (staff emphasized the housing element must be consistent with the adopted general plan to be certifiable by HCD).

- Urban growth boundary: The council decided against adopting an urban growth boundary now. Members said the topic requires additional public outreach and would increase time and cost; the council favored addressing it later if at all.

- Other policy direction: Council asked staff to include climate‑action-plan updates and safety‑element revisions required by the newly adopted fire‑hazard severity zones. Council also instructed staff to retain or consider policies on agricultural‑land preservation (staff noted prior drafts studied both 2:1 and 1:1 preservation ratios and the council asked staff to carry forward a 2:1 preservation policy for further review) and to include a policy to consider increasing the city’s inclusionary housing requirement (staff currently administers a 15% inclusionary ordinance; several council members asked staff to study 20%).

Votes and actions on pending private applications

Council considered four in‑process general-plan or prezone/annexation applications (Hollister Research Campus / Lico & Greco / Hollister Multifamily LLC / Clearas Park) and four initiation requests that had been paused during the citywide plan update. The council's decision pattern was to direct projects to follow the city’s revised general‑plan process (GP 2a) and to deny several stand‑alone initiation requests while the city proceeds with its plan update. Staff explained denials put applicants back in a position to reapply after a chosen general-plan path is adopted; staff recommended denial for certain applications that were non‑contiguous or would require major project revisions.

Recorded votes on initiation/annexation items (high level)

- Severita Hamana (prezone request for ~5 acres on Southside Road): Council adopted a resolution denying the initiation request (vote recorded 4–0).

- MLC Holdings (Lab Lane / two parcels): Council denied the initiation request (motion carried 3–1; Councilmember Morales opposed).

- Joe Tinashe (prezone/annexation request, approximately 35 acres): The council initially failed to deny on a tied vote; the council then reconsidered and subsequently denied the initiation after reconsideration (final vote 3–1; Councilmember Morales opposed).

- Lico & Greco properties (55‑acre prezone/annexation): Council denied the initiation request (final vote 3–1; Councilmember Morales opposed).

Why it matters: Hollister is out of compliance with the State Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD) RHNA obligations for the sixth cycle; a certified housing element is a prerequisite for some state grants and for avoiding possible state enforcement. The council’s 2a direction attempts to limit cost and time by reusing prior draft work while adding the targeted changes staff said are necessary to make the housing element certifiable.

Implementation steps: Staff will return with a scoped work plan, cost estimates and timelines for the GP 2a approach and the corresponding housing-element updates. Staff also will prepare revisions to the climate‑action and safety elements to align with the council's direction. Applicants whose initiation requests were denied may refile after the council adopts the revised plan or may elect to proceed under the existing 2005 general plan baseline (staff warned that each path has CEQA sequencing consequences).","The Hollister City Council on April 20 directed staff to pursue a narrowed general‑plan update path based on the city’s 2023 public‑review draft with targeted policy changes, declined to adopt an urban growth boundary now and denied several pending annexation/initiation requests.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6571830,"Council adopts ordinance designating local fire hazard severity zones after CAL FIRE map update",280,3500000,3780000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3105433-8fb5c7a025625ff051225e68d5655cba&start=3500&end=3780","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3105433-8fb5c7a025625ff051225e68d5655cba/thumbnail_3500000.jpg","/articles/6571830/Hollister-City/San-Benito-County/California/Council-adopts-ordinance-designating-local-fire-hazard-severity-zones-after-CAL-FIRE-map-update","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571830-7f77bf3ff00ce5c7c279c108c0c564b4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136950&Signature=AiWpduMUm6JYaVRYTVfPnW0acW8y7IJRNV6iTHaIKifh1QwAktba3Zab55SGGhGSIQkaUsTZjGy66TP719pyqFW3hOVUtcH2aui1-M6LbkbmMj6OpuJNrb5NGWkXtZYS4C7cLXMLo~IBLsziJfX8-vX08we~M3GakLUflxUpLtcxY93wxHRlwMFLodw3wHJwtLlqsCFeXbEnTrF8Kxn2D-8nDQl3OvGzoPq5~mUbrCTUlXw8uveyI6mjVKNNukqcV5bTn3qDPRKZCQwwiV32ufvz5wT4fNxww85Sb7hQhbRfjHj~ozkT8VdWq3-RzPmjKUR9VmCtjuLirbhsFiE~Pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hollister City Council on April 20 adopted an ordinance adding a local fire-hazard severity zone designation to the Hollister Municipal Code, following a staff presentation on updated CAL FIRE maps.

What the action does: The ordinance adds section 8.4(o) to the municipal code to adopt local fire hazard severity zones in the city's local responsibility area. Fire Chief Jonathan Golding told the council that CAL FIRE updated statewide modeling and maps required cities to adopt local designations and that the state will review safety-element updates for jurisdictions that adopt revised maps.

Map details and local impact: Chief Golding said much of the city was shown as having no designation or a moderate designation on the updated maps; the presentation identified a small area within the city that CAL FIRE marked as “very high” severity. Staff said the very-high parcel is city‑owned and presently undeveloped; any future development there would trigger stricter planning and building requirements tied to the safety element and local codes.

Council action: After opening and closing a public hearing with no speakers, the council voted 4–0 to approve the ordinance amending the municipal code to add the fire hazard severity zone designations. Chief Golding said the city will make the maps available online and follow the state-required public-notice process.

Why it matters: The new designation imposes additional planning and building considerations for parcels inside the higher-designation zones, including possible restrictions and mitigation measures tied to evacuation planning, defensible space, and construction standards. Staff said jurisdictions must update safety elements to align with the maps and warned that Cal Fire will review safety element updates for adequacy.","After a staff briefing from Fire Chief Jonathan Golding, the council adopted an ordinance adding Hollister-specific fire hazard severity zones to local code. The measure passed unanimously and will require changes to planning and building review for properties in designated zones.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Hollister council presses county for clearer fire-contract terms, reaffirms three-person engine staffing

Council opts to use earlier draft plan, keeps urban growth boundary off the table and denies multiple annexation initiations

Council adopts ordinance designating local fire hazard severity zones after CAL FIRE map update