Protecting San Benito

Our grassroots group of volunteers has worked for almost a decade to protect San Benito County from

sprawl development and bad land use decisions. We sponsored an Environmental Summer Camp and helped to bring Community Power to our region. Below is a brief history of our projects:

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Legal and CEQA (Betabel, Hwy 129, John Smith Landfill (2022)

• We retained an attorney and experts to provide dEIR comments regarding the proposed Betabel and Hwy 129 developments in 2022. We assisted with attorneys and experts for the dEIR for the proposed John Smith Landfill expansion. In 2021, we canvassed and painted signs to educate the public regarding the fivefold John Smith Landfill.

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Save Indian Canyon (2021-2022)

• Members of our group assisted Ann Marie Sayers with land use issues at Indian Canyon in 2021 and 2022.

• We helped research the history of ownership of lands (titles) within Indian Canyon for a more accurate map.

• We secured the help of Big Sur Land Trust which made an offer to purchase land critical to Indian Canyon.

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Protect Betabel (2021)

• We organized a rally at the Betabel bridge over Hwy 101 to publicize the development at Betabel in August 2021.

• We organized a ceremony for Indigenous Peoples Day at the plaza of Mission San Juan Bautista in October 2021.

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Let Voters Decide Initiative (2020 and 2022)

• We are educating voters about a new initiative called Let Voters Decide How San Benito County Grows.

• This initiative is necessary because our Supervisors have repeatedly ignored the wishes of citizens regarding land use.

 

Strada Verde (November 2020)

• We educated voters about a Newport Beach developer's proposal to develop 2,777 acres of agricultural lands (Measure N).

• Later, the County Supervisors let the developer return with a new application to develop Strada Verde.

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Hwy 101 Node Development (March 2020)​

• We educated voters about proposals to develop 300 acres along the scenic Hwy 101 corridor (Measure K). 

• Later, the County Supervisors allowed developers to rezone two of the nodes for commercial development.

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Monterey Bay Community Power (2015)

• We helped to organize support for the approval of the nonprofit, Monterey Bay Community Power, which has greatly increased the use of renewable energy in the Monterey Bay region. This nonprofit has extended its service to include San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties and is now called Central Coast Community Power.

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Summer Enrichment Camp in San Juan Bautista (2015)

• Members of our group organized a 2 week Environmental Summer Camp for youth in San Benito County.

• Most of our members are retired teachers who helped with teaching and fieldtrips.

 

Fracking & Risky Oil Drilling in San Benito County (2014)

• We educated voters about initiative (Measure J) to stop fracking and other dangerous oil drilling in our county.

• In 2013, the Supervisors negotiated with the local oil industry and adopted some weak regulations regarding drilling.

 

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