LAFCO approves City of Gonzales’ appeal on Vista Lucia, a 3,500-home development.

On Aug. 24, Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) of Monterey County voted 7-0 to approve an appeal from the City of Gonzales on the completeness of its application for Vista Lucia, a plan for 3,498 homes to be developed on 771 acres of agricultural land northeast of the city over 30 years.

Gonzales City Manager Carmen Gil is glad the project has moved a step forward. “The approval now gets us to hearings,” Gil says.

Commissioners approved the application despite the City not providing the name of a third party that will oversee an agricultural conservation easement required as a condition of approval. The land developer Pembrook Development Group identified for that easement is nine miles away from city limits.

LandWatch Executive Director Michael DeLapa was disappointed with the decision. “The biggest issue is that the ag mitigation they’re proposing is nine miles away, and the purpose of ag mitigation is to try to prevent future sprawl,” DeLapa says.

Several people spoke in favor of Gonzales’ appeal including residents, CHISPA President Geoffrey Morgan and Jesus Estrada, a housing organizer with Center for Community Advocacy. Many noted the urgent need for more housing.

“The last housing that was built there was by CHISPA 20 years ago. Let’s get it done,” Morgan said. (The plan would put CHISPA in charge of developing 200 affordable units in Vista Lucia.)

Many units are single-family homes with prices expected to range from $555,000-$650,000. “Those kinds of homes are not going to be affordable to the people in the community,” DeLapa argues.