County staff reports San Juan Oaks development is largely meeting conditions; parks, CFDs and deadlines remain active items

San Benito County planning and RMA staff on Sept. 23 told the Board of Supervisors that the San Juan Oaks development is generally meeting its development‑agreement obligations, while several required public facilities and park improvements remain on the developer’s compliance timeline.

RMA’s summary recounted the project’s entitlements and timeline. The development agreement — signed Nov. 13, 2015, and amended in later years — grants entitlements for 1,017 active‑adult homes, 67 conventional single‑family homes, up to 65,000 square feet of neighborhood commercial and office, up to a 100‑bed assisted‑living/skilled‑nursing facility, and up to a 200‑room hotel. The agreement also created substantial land‑conservation commitments: 1,200 acres of conservation easement and 194 acres of on‑site and off‑site agricultural easement. A COVID extension added days to the project term; the current compound termination date in the development agreement is in November 2033.

Staff said phase 1 is under construction and that approximately 83 building permits had been issued with about 60 homes occupied (figures presented as of the update). The developer has completed San Juan Oaks Drive, a new bridge, bike lanes and the wastewater collection system for the project, and paid a $6,059,000 community benefit fee in February 2023. Staff estimated the developer has spent more than $20 million on the golf course and clubhouse improvements and employs roughly 100 people on site.

Several public‑facility conditions remain active: Olive Hill Park must be “substantially complete” before issuance of the 250th certificate of occupancy, and the community park must be substantially complete before the 500th certificate of occupancy or by May 29, 2026 (whichever comes first). Staff shared design drawings and said the parks are out to bid and on a construction schedule; some paving and site work are expected in the near term. The agreement also requires formation of community facilities districts (CFDs) to fund maintenance; staff said the CFD revenue is building as homes are sold and is expected to grow as occupancy increases.

Staff noted they meet biweekly with the developer and its consultants; the developer pays consultants’ fees for those compliance meetings (staff referenced approximately $642,000 in consultant/staff reimbursement billed to date). Planning confirmed that the developer has previously received county certifications that the development agreement was in effect and in compliance at several prior check points.

Public comment praised the project and asked that community‑designated fees remain earmarked for their intended purposes. Supervisors asked staff for continued updates and for breakdowns of staff/consultant reimbursements and the timing of park construction. No formal board action was required; the presentation was informational.

Why it matters: San Juan Oaks is a major, multi‑phased community project with long‑term infrastructure, parkland and fiscal implications for the county; the status report confirmed progress on multiple fronts but noted remaining conditional triggers the county will monitor.

Next steps: Staff will track park completion against the 250th and 500th certificate‑of‑occupancy milestones, report on CFD receipts and continue biweekly compliance meetings with the developer.