By Daily Nexus, April 26, 1973
Goleta homeowners have come out against the proposed Hollister Ave. Auto Center to be located just west of Turnpike Road.
The East Goleta Valley Citizens Association has passed a resolution objecting to any precedent leading to strip commercialization of the residential neighborhood along Hollister Ave.
The auto center planned some 800 feet west of the San Marcos High School intersection would house C and H Chevrolet, Butts Buick and Tom Williams Oldsmobile-Cadillac.
Donn B. Tatum, owner of the land, has requested a general plan change from single-family residential (7-R-1) to a commercial designation allowing the auto center. A hearing on the matter has been scheduled before the Planning Commission on May 9.
Al Borgaro, president of the 500-member homeowner group, charged today that commercialization of the property would constitute “spot zoning,” an exception in the land use rules in the valley for the sole benefit and profit of the developers.
“The auto center, contrary to the neighborhood shopping center concept, would cater to customers from a wide region and would not be of primary service to the surrounding neighborhoods.”
He said that the Planning Commission had only recently established an auto center on 101 and La Cumbre Ave. where space is still available to dealerships.
“To bring a heavy commercial operation into the center of a neighborhood area causes serious conflict with the principles of the General Plan,” Borgaro continued.
“There is absolutely no compelling reason for such a change to a commercial zone, especially considering the impact noise and fumes of the auto body shop and the general traffic congestion would have upon four schools in the area.”
The association president said that the Hollister, El Camino and Cathedral Oaks elementary schools and San Marcos High School would suffer from strip commercialization trends promoted by the auto center.
He anticipated that virtually every neighborhood group, once heard from, would oppose the project because it was “in such basic conflict with the needs and interests of the community.”
Borgaro said that the East Goleta Valley community should be “on the alert against encroachments such as Turnpike Ave. widening and extension projects, the More Mesa scheme and now the auto center which threaten the neighborhood quality of a large residential area.”
