San Benito’s county seat and its largest city, Hollister continues to grow (an estimated population of 40,000 in 2019) but has kept historic buildings and small-town appeal. On any given weekend, the streets of “The Birthplace of the American Biker” are filled with locals and tourists enjoying classic car shows, horse shows, the Downtown Wine & Beer Stroll, and the Mexican Independence Day Parade. Another Fourth of July tradition is the Hollister Independence Rally, which has drawn thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts to the town where The Wild One was filmed. Though the event is no longer sponsored by the city, so-called rebel rallies have taken place, most recently in 2019.

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City Council

The City Council’s regular meeting time is at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month at the City Hall Council Chambers, 375 Fifth St. Past meetings can be found on the city’s YouTube page.

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Planning Commission

The Hollister Planning Advisory Commission is a five-member committee appointed by the City Council to review matters related to planning and development. Meetings take place on the fourth Thursday of the month and are open to the public.

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Image for display with article titled Hollister Puts New Fire Service Deal on the Table

As negotiations over countywide fire protection services continue for a fourth month under a new City Council, the city of Hollister is proposing a new deal to San Juan Bautista and San Benito County.

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04/09/2025
Image for display with article titled Celebrate (Belated) Community Garden Week at Vista Park Hill

Meet Robin Pollard, who has kept the Community Garden at Vista Park Hill open to the public since 1999.

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04/03/2025
Image for display with article titled Hollister, San Juan Bautista and High School District Address Local Homeless Issues

San Benito County is moving forward with plans to clear homeless encampments along the San Benito River in the third week of April. The effort will involve the cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista, following an agreement reached on April 2. The San Benito High School District will also participate in future collaborative work between the agencies.

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04/02/2025
Image for display with article titled San Benito County to Look Into Options for New Fire Services Provider

San Benito County is preparing to “take a step back,” in the words of Supervisor Dom Zanger, from its longstanding partnership with the City of Hollister for fire services.

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03/31/2025
Image for display with article titled Fire Service Negotiations Stall

265 days. That is how long San Benito County and San Juan Bautista were given until their fire service contract with the city of Hollister ends—unless they agree on new terms. Not only are the services in San Juan Bautista and unincorporated areas in limbo, so is a feasibility study to form a county-wide fire district.

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