Board approves one‑time payment for Dunville Estates gate work, directs Prop 218/HOA path for long‑term maintenance

San Benito County supervisors approved a retroactive contract amendment to cover additional sensor work at Dunville Estates' recently constructed gate and gave staff direction to pursue a Prop 218 process or guide the community to form a homeowners association for long‑term maintenance.

Linda Yang, CSA coordinator, told the board the original Prop 218-funded work covered construction only; additional sensor work and a cloud‑service monitoring subscription were not part of the original levy. Because the contractor finished work after the contract expiration, staff requested retroactive authorization to cover additional costs and short‑term operations to avoid service interruptions.

After extended legal and policy discussion, County Counsel and multiple supervisors said the county should not assume indefinite maintenance of private gates. Supervisors expressed concern about precedent and emergency access complications associated with gated communities. "The county should not be in the business of maintaining gated communities' gates," a supervisor stated during the discussion.

The board voted to approve the construction cost amendment (authorizing an additional $2,640, bringing the amended not‑to‑exceed to $98,640) and directed staff to prepare a Prop 218 proposal that would include one year of maintenance while staff compiles CSA fund balances, projected repair costs (water tank replacement, engineering), and a consolidated Prop 218 package or guidance to form an HOA for longer‑term management. The motion passed on roll call.

What’s next: Staff will return with the CSA’s fund balance and projected costs, finalize a Prop 218 timeline and materials, and prepare any necessary short‑term maintenance contract paperwork so cloud services remain active while the long‑term funding path is decided.