High school district moves forward with land swap for additional campus

The San Benito High School District board of trustees took two steps in September toward building a second campus. On Sept. 8, it approved swapping the 49.68-acre Pura Vida parcel for the 33.58-acre Thomas Orchard parcel, with the district also paying an extra $1.5 million for the smaller property. County planners had found that a school on the Thomas Orchard land would not match the land use designation in the county's General Plan, which guides growth in unincorporated areas. The article notes that school districts are not bound by local land use rules; instead, the state education department must approve a school's location and the state architect must approve construction.

On Sept. 22, trustees unanimously passed two resolutions stating the district's intent to use eminent domain to acquire a third parcel next to the Borelli-Felice land it already owns. The district says it tried several times to negotiate. An Aug. 31 letter offered the Dotta Revocable Living Trust $1.4 million based on a 2023 appraisal, though the offer could change with an updated appraisal. The district has six months after adopting its resolution to file an eminent domain lawsuit in San Benito Superior Court. The article says all three parcels are zoned agricultural and were farmed.

The district says a facilities committee of more than 60 people chose west Hollister because of expected growth. Voters rejected two $70 million bonds in 2024. The district says it still plans to use state grants and developer impact fees. It is also considering its Best Road site, owned since 1997, for 1,000 workforce housing units.