Home > Resource Center > In the News Home > Greenbelt Alliance in the News

Greenbelt Alliance In the News

August 30, 2005

Panel poised to allow growth

PLANS LINKED TO TREASURY

But environmentalists expressed concerns that the proposed benchmarks would accelerate development, reduce green space and drain the city's coffers.

"This is facilitating the loosening of requirements to speed up growth in Coyote Valley," said Brian Schmidt of the Committee for Green Foothills, a non-profit organization.

At stake is how San Jose will approach the development of its last great expanse of open land -- 7,000-acre Coyote Valley -- and whether it can manage that development in a fashion that will not drain police, fire, library, park and other services in the rest of the city.

Last month, the Coyote Valley Task Force indicated it would let homes be built in the area first to take advantage of a vibrant housing market and provide the impetus needed to build $1.5 billion in roads and sewer, utility and water lines. If the city council, which has the final say over Coyote Valley growth, adopts the task force's recommendation, it would supplant a longstanding policy that at least 5,000 jobs be established in the valley before residential construction could begin.

Monday night, the task force, in principle, approved allowing building permits to be issued when the city's budget director certifies that the next phase of development will not burden the general fund. The current standard provides that permits can be approved if economic forecasts indicate a stable city budget for five years, among other factors.

Schmidt contended the change isn't strong enough to safeguard the city against Coyote Valley drawing down the treasury. But task force member Steve Speno, whose company controls more than 600 acres in North Coyote Valley, disagreed.

The change "basically says no phase of Coyote Valley development can proceed unless it is a fiscal net benefit to the city," Speno said.

Another recommendation adopted by the task force calls for residential developments with fewer than 40 units per acre to pay for acquisition of open space in the valley's southern greenbelt -- the area between Palm Avenue and the Morgan Hill border -- as land in the north and central valley is gobbled up. Commercial projects would contribute by paying a fee based on square footage.

Money contributed for the purchase of open space would go to an entity that would have authority to purchase green-space land for preservation.

Michele Beasley of Greenbelt Alliance said that recommendation wasn't aggressive enough. Beasley urged the task force to adopt a plan that calls for buying 3,400 acres of green space instead of 740 acres.

Lastly, the task force also approved a measure to ensure 20 percent of the units would be affordable housing. Redevelopment agency and city funds could be tapped to build housing for those with extremely low incomes.

Laurel Prevetti, deputy city planning director, said the recommendations will be drawn up, incorporating the suggestions of the members, and presented later this year to the task force again for formal approval.

Contact Rodney Foo at rfoo@mercurynews.com or (408) 975-9346.

###