Morgan Hill’s City Manager Speaks at SCRA
Date: Thursday October 16, 2008Posted in: City of Morgan Hill, housing, ballot measures
Yesterday, Morgan Hill’s City Manager, Ed Tewes, spoke at our weekly South County Realtors Association. I reported on Mr. Tewes’ previous update to our Association from this past July in this post: http://southcountyrealestatetoday.com/2008/07/26/update-from-morgan-hills-city-manager/. With the upcoming election, Mr. Tewes touched on the two local measures that will be on the ballot, but first he spoke about upcoming development in the city.
The projects slated for development in Morgan Hill which he mentioned have already opened or are very close to opening. These include two new restaurants opening downtown. (The rumor I’ve heard is that Maurizio is developing both of these restaurants….) He also mentioned that the shoe store, DSW has opened in the new Cochrane/101 shopping center. (Can my closet fit any more shoes??)
The first ballot issue Ed Tewes discussed was Measure H, which would provide an exemption for 500 downtown housing units. Everyone has something nice to say about Morgan Hill’s charming and attractive downtown, but most people also have reservations about the health of the commercial enterprises there. Measure H would expand the number of residential units downtown and bring a new vitality to the 20-block area. In order to do this, Morgan Hill’s Residential Development Control System (RDCS) has to be modified but will still meet strict requirements while also meeting Morgan Hill’s population ceiling. I am voting “YES” on Measure H.
The other ballot measure is Measure G, which would establish a 2% utility tax. The monies would be used to hire additional police force. I have not made up my mind how I’m going to vote on Measure G and I’m going to do a little more research.
Roadways slated for development in the next few years: 1. Tennant Avenue will be widened at the 101 overpass from 2 lanes to 4 lanes and the interchange will be a cloverleaf. 2. Butterfield Boulevard will extend south from Tennant Avenue, curving so that it will meet Watsonville Road at Monterey Avenue. 3. Santa Teresa Boulevard will be built from the south end of Hale Avenue/Main Avenue, curving through residential areas, and dead-ending into DeWitt Avenue near Spring Avenue.
Ed Tewes also reminded us of the Morgan Hill’s housing element update which will be discussed at a public meeting tonight at the CCC at 6:45 p.m. Every five years, the city is required by the state to update the housing element. Some of the issues to be discussed will be Below Market Rate units and the unbuilt housing units that have already been approved in previous RDCS competitions.
