Local developer Greg Hostetler spoke during the Los Banos City Council meeting’s public forum Feb. 21.
Hostetler, who has been building homes in Los Banos since the 1990s, expressed concerns that city staff turnover has delayed the approval of his Northpointe Subdivision and delayed payments of developer fees owed to him.
“There have been at least five public works managers, either full-time or interim, between 2019 to 2024,” he said.
The developer also said the city should approve proposed annexations of land south of the Rite Aid shopping center and east of 11th Street and another parcel of land between Ortigalita Road and Center Avenue. Hostetler said these parcels have been submitted for annexation since 2009.
Hostetler also said that the city hasn’t paid for the piece of land on DeAnza Way in his Shaunessy Village development where a proposed city park is scheduled to be built. Plans for that park have already been approved by the city council. (Later, the piece of proposed park land was found to have “no trespassing” signs posted.)
The developer claimed that moving forward the projects he listed would address job creation, housing affordability and the housing shortage.
At the end of his five-minute public forum speech, Hostetler spoke directly to Los Banos City Manager Josh Pinheiro saying, “Josh, I think you can get it done.”
