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Resident urges clearer city response on Mills Act applications
Summary
A lifetime Gilroy resident and business owner said he has sought information about Mills Act historic-preservation contracts and complained city staff have not returned calls or emails; the council directed follow-up after the meeting.
At a Gilroy community meeting, resident Chris Araz criticized the city's responsiveness to inquiries about the Mills Act, the state historic-preservation contract program, saying he had waited months for staff replies while an application deadline approached.
"I've been emailing council members... in regards to the Mills Act. This started last October," Araz said, describing attempts to contact city administrators and staff and saying he felt handed off without clear answers. He asked for direct assistance and a clearer outreach process so property owners can understand preservation benefits and requirements.
A councilor responded that the floor was not the place for a back-and-forth debate and invited Araz to set a follow-up meeting with staff after the session. The mayor and staff asked Araz to provide contact information and follow up with the city administrator's office so staff could respond and coordinate a meeting before the application deadline.
The council did not take a formal vote on the matter during the meeting; staff acknowledged the resident's complaint and agreed to schedule follow-up to review the Mills Act application process and deadlines.
Next steps: the resident was asked to meet with the city administrator and staff after the meeting so that staff can explain the application steps and timelines for Mills Act contracts.
