Supervisors advance housing‑element rezoning with added outreach, certified‑mail requirement
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Summary
After public outcry about notifications and neighborhood impacts, the board approved a resolution forwarding housing‑element rezoning and certification steps, adding a friendly amendment to require expanded outreach and certified‑mail notification to affected property owners.
San Benito County supervisors approved a recommendation to advance updates to the county housing element and related rezoning steps, but only after adding a requirement for broader, documented outreach to property owners and certified‑mail notification.
Planning staff summarized the multi‑year effort to update the county’s housing element, noting public workshops, environmental review and identification of candidate sites for higher residential density. “The housing element was adopted by the providers and is otherwise compliant,” Planning staff (Speaker 10) told the board, outlining the CEQA review and steps needed for certification.
Multiple residents and property owners told the board they had not received timely mailed notice about the proposed rezoning and said they only saw materials within the past weeks. One public commenter (Speaker 23) told the board, “I didn’t see a notification in February 2024; the notification I got recently was in October,” and said that the proposed density and design would not fit the existing neighborhood.
Several supervisors said those reports of missed notice were unacceptable and proposed stronger notification protocols before implementation of zoning changes. Commissioner Speaker 6 proposed a friendly amendment that attached an explicit requirement for certified‑mail outreach and additional attempts to contact affected property owners. The amendment also asked staff to return with verification that outreach steps had been completed before moving forward to any final legislative action.
After discussion, the board voted 4–1 to approve the resolution recommending the rezoning and housing‑element updates, incorporating the friendly amendment on improved outreach and certified mail. The board’s action advances the process to the next legislative steps, with staff directed to supply updated materials and confirmations of property‑owner notification.
What’s next: Staff will return with revised outreach documentation, certified‑mail receipts where applicable and the final materials needed for formal zone changes and certification.
