Nearly a year after plans for a commercial center at the northwest corner of Highway 156 and Fairview Road first surfaced, revised project documents reveal a significantly expanded proposal that offers the clearest look yet at what could one day be built at the site.
A Larger Vision for the Site
The latest plans represent a significant expansion from the concept first submitted in late 2025. While the original proposal centered primarily on a fuel station, a convenience store, restaurants, and a handful of commercial buildings, the revised plans expand the project into a more comprehensive highway-oriented commercial center.
The proposal now includes a 4,900-square-foot general market, passenger and diesel fueling facilities, eight electric vehicle charging stations, three drive-through restaurant buildings, three multi-tenant retail buildings, and a 5,760-square-foot service building designed for commercial trucks, recreational vehicles, and agricultural equipment. According to the applicant, the completed project could employ between 60 and 90 full- and part-time workers.
Although the site plan has evolved considerably, one thing has remained consistent: the proposal is intended to function as a centralized commercial destination rather than a collection of separate businesses. Shared parking, internal roadways, landscaping, and coordinated building layouts are designed to create a single commercial center serving both Highway 156 travelers and the surrounding community.
Why This Location?
At first glance, a commercial center at the intersection of Highway 156 and Fairview Road may seem out of place. However, the site has long been identified in the San Benito County 2035 General Plan as a location for Commercial Thoroughfare development, a land use designation intended to concentrate highway-oriented commercial uses at key intersections rather than allowing scattered commercial development along major roadways.
According to the applicant, the project is designed to implement that long-term vision by creating a centralized commercial center that serves commuters, regional travelers, nearby businesses, local residents, and the surrounding agricultural community. The proposal would include fuel services, restaurants, retail space, and commercial vehicle services within a single coordinated development, rather than as individual businesses with separate access points along Highway 156.
Although the property’s General Plan designation already anticipates Commercial Thoroughfare uses, the site is currently zoned Agricultural Productive (AP). Before the project can move forward, the applicant is requesting that the County rezone the property to the Commercial Thoroughfare (C-1) district, a change that would require review and approval through the County’s public planning process.
What the Plans Show
The updated site plan provides the clearest picture yet of how the proposed commercial center could be laid out.
At the heart of the development is a passenger vehicle fueling station paired with a 4,900-square-foot general market. A separate diesel fueling area is planned to accommodate commercial trucks, recreational vehicles, and agricultural equipment, while eight electric vehicle charging stations are also included throughout the site.
Surrounding the fuel and convenience store area are three drive-through restaurant buildings, three multi-tenant retail buildings, and a commercial service building intended for truck, recreational vehicle, and agricultural equipment maintenance. Shared parking lots, internal roadways, landscaped areas, and pedestrian connections are designed to tie the various uses together into a single commercial center rather than a collection of standalone businesses.
The plans also show that the existing residence will remain on the property, while much of the surrounding acreage is redeveloped into the proposed commercial center. The images below are renderings from the applicant on what the buildings will potentially look like.
What’s Next?
While the revised plans offer the most detailed look yet at the proposal, the project remains in the early stages of the County’s review process.
The submitted plans identify the types of buildings and commercial uses proposed for the site, but they do not identify any future tenants. Which restaurants, retailers, or other businesses may ultimately occupy the development will likely become clearer if the project continues moving through the entitlement process.
Before construction could begin, the proposal must undergo environmental review and receive the necessary County approvals, including the requested rezoning from Agricultural Productive to Commercial Thoroughfare. As with most development proposals, the plans could continue to evolve as they move through the public review process.
Contact
NEW: We will begin to include contact information regarding projects or improvements if requested by the applicant or jurisdiction.
For questions on the project, feel free to contact:
Victor Gomez:
(831) 245-6446
VictorG@PinnacleStrategy.org
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