Vision for the Next 20 years of Growth: Letter to the Community (revised)

To the GGS community:

Over the last few years we have rallied for smarter growth in our beloved Gilroy. We have achieved great things, with the biggest win being the passing of Measure H. You may not know about it, but the General Plan Advisory Committee 2040 (GPAC 20/40) has been working to come up with a vision for the next 20 years of growth. It’s a large group consisting of several representatives from around the city and there is a important meeting on [rescheduled date to be determine]. Gilroy Growing Smarter also has a seat, along with a few of our other leaders on the Commission representing various entities.  This is where we need your assistance. With a stronger presence, we can make it known by all that we are not interested in seeing developers build a sea of dense housing throughout the valley.  The General Plan is only a small vision into the future, but it opens the door to zoning changes, expectations of current and future council members and helps guide policy decisions in how the city will grow.  

Our goal, with the GPAC, is to help guide the commission towards the realization that a healthy city has to have a thriving center and well-utilized land.  All over the city you can find shuttered buildings, open small lots, and run down areas that are extremely underutilized. There is absolutely no reason to build more housing along the outskirts in the open spaces when so much work is needed within areas such as the 1st St corridor, Monterey Rd, and 10th St. Contrary to what the developers say, building homes does not bring more money into the city, so we would like the GPAC to focus on smart growth of the mixed-use variety. Lets focus on what needs to be done prior to allowing more building of homes along the city outskirts.  

Things to keep in mind…  The GPAC’s goal is to provide an outline for the General Plan.  No final decisions are made at the meetings or these types of events. The GPAC is meant to make recommendations based on community feedback to the planning commission and city council for final voting and approvals. The more feedback given by community members, the more accurate vision we have for the future of Gilroy.  

STAY TUNED FOR NEWS ON A RESCHEDULED DATE FOR THIS MEETING. The meeting will be held on Month, DAY from x:xxPM-x:xxPM @ Eliot Elementary School (475 Old Gilroy St.).  

We have done amazing work together and we look forward to many more wins for our community in the future.  Please be sure to mark your calendar, so that you can have a voice about how Gilroy will grow over the next 20 years.  If you have any questions about the process, location, or what to expect, please reach out to us through gilroygrowingsmarter.org

On behalf of Gilroy Growing Smarter,
Joey Weitz  - GPAC Member/GGS Representative