CGF: Take Action: Help prevent sprawl in Almaden Valley

Help prevent sprawl in Almaden Valley
Posted December 1, 2004 / Updated January 24, 2005

• What's happening
• Why this is important
• What's next
• What you can do

Read our September 27, 2004 letter to the City Planning Commission
Read the November 26, 2004 article in the Mercury News

UPDATE: On January 13, 2005 CGF and the South Almaden Valley Rural Alliance sued the City of San Jose for their approval of the McKean Road Sports Complex. Read our Jan. 14, 2005 press release, and the Jan. 22, 2005 article in the Mercury News for details.

Unfortunately, at their December 7 meeting the San Jose City Council ignored the good advice of its own Planning Commission and the many people who spoke up on this issue, and approved the project.

The City of San Jose is proposing a huge sports complex in Almaden Valley, one of the City's last rural open space areas. Unfortunately, City officials skirted land use planning for this 35-acre development proposal by claiming that this development is "interim", when it in fact begins the area's transformation from working farms to sprawling suburbs.

On Tuesday, December 7, 2004, the City Council will decide whether to amend the City's General Plan so as to allow the sports complex despite the lack of sound planning.

Approval of this development would permanently change Almaden Valley, ultimately bringing sprawl and damaging the area's agricultural lands and economy. Please ask the Council to deny this proposal and ensure that any development is approved only after adequate planning and consideration.

What's happening
The McKean Road Sports Complex would replace 35 acres of working farmland outside of San Jose's city limits with a dozen athletic fields, support structures and a 500-space parking lot.

This massive urban project does not belong in this rural area of San Jose. Heavily-used facilities should be in population centers, not on their outskirts. Placing this huge center on the edge of the City is clearly NOT smart growth. The City's own Planning Commission recognizes this, and recommended by a 5-2 vote that the City NOT approve the project. The final decision must be made by the City Council, which may give in to developer interests in terminating the area's rural character.

Why this is important
San Jose's General Plan states it will eventually annex and develop the Almaden Valley area, but only as part of an overall plan for the area, and only when growth pressures on the City require development. The City acknowledges it can't develop the Valley now, but is trying to get around limits on development by allowing "certain limited interim recreational uses." In order to allow permanent uses on land that is still outside City limits, the city would need to annex the land, develop a land-use plan and conduct extensive public review.

But by calling this a 20-year "interim" project, the City is sneaking around the entire land use planning process and opening the door for development of Almaden Valley.

This is wrong; this project will permanently change the Almaden Valley. If the City wants to develop Almaden Valley, the public deserves to see a real plan that spells out all the implications of transforming the area. Piecemeal approval of urban-scale uses will ultimately lead planners to the conclusion that the area's rural character no longer exists and therefore should be developed.

What's next
In the face of confusing and incorrect advice from City staff, last night the Planning Commission split its decision on the project. It certified the Environmental Impact Report for the McKean Road Sports Complex (which it likely would not have done had it received correct advice), but then recommended that the City Council deny the project.

Next Tuesday, December 7, the San Jose City Council will review the Planning Commission's recommendation. This hearing is our opportunity to let the City know that we believe this growth-inducing project is just the first step in the development of Almaden Valley, and should not move forward without proper planning.

What you can do

1. Write to the City Council.
Approving this project begins the step-by-step development of this area without a plan -- a sure recipe for sprawl. Speak up for preserving rural working open space and for sound planning in Almaden Valley.

Please write to the City Council and ask them to reject the inadequate Environmental Impact Report and the urban-scale sports complex. Tell the City to increase recreational opportunities in urban areas where people actually live:

      Mayor Ron Gonzales and City Councilmembers
      Attn: City Clerk
      City of San Jose
      801 North First Street, Rm. 600
      San Jose, CA 95110

Fax 408-277-5192
For councilmembers' email addresses, visit www.sanjoseca.gov/council.html

Please get your letters in by Monday, December 6. As always, please let us know you've written so we can track our effectiveness on this issue: alerts@GreenFoothills.org or fax (650) 968-8431.

Even if you're not a resident of San Jose, please speak up on this issue. These lands are within the jurisdiction of Santa Clara County, and we all have a right to help protect our public open space and quality of life.

2. Join our email action alert list to stay updated on how you can help.

We send alerts about once a week or so, to let you know how you can get involved to support local open space preservation. We'll never share your email address with anyone.

We'll send you the latest info — about one email every other week.
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Also see: Past Action Alerts...


Check out the CGF blog Read what we're thinking right this moment... and write back.	Glossary Just what is an "environmental impact report" or a "urban growth boundary" anyway? See our comprehensive glossary...	More actions you can take: Donate... Become a CGF member... Get alerts via email... Links to other environmental organizations