February 14, 2008

South Almaden Valley Urban Reserve’s future tops AVCA agenda

By Jeanne C. Carbone
Staff Writer

The future of the South Almaden Valley Urban Reserve was at the top of the Almaden Valley Community Association’s agenda Feb. 11.

Realtor Jerry Strangis, who represents the 1,000-acre Rancho San Vicente property owners, presents a proposal to dedicate 880 acres to public open space connecting Almaden Quicksilver and Calero County Parks. Photos by Jeanne C. Carbone

“Dave Fadness and Jerry Strangis are here to talk about developing the 1,050 acres in the South Almaden Valley Urban Reserve [SAVUR],” said Almaden Valley Community Association [AVCA] member Ron Blake. “Dave is here because he is involved in writing the revision of the General Plan for the City of San Jose.”

“SAVUR has quite a few root triggers that would allow quite a bit of development to happen in that area. Jerry feels there may be a better way to allow some limited development earlier without meeting those triggers but not developing them anywhere near what the triggers would allow,” Blake said.

SAVUR is the last large area of undeveloped land in the Almaden. The urban reserve, approximately 1,050 acres, is located at the southern end of the Almaden Valley, extending from Harry Road to Calero Reservoir. The area is rural, but has been set aside by the city of San Jose for future development of a planned residential community of up to 2,000 units.

Prior to the development in the SAVUR, three prerequisite triggers must be met: creation of 5,000 new jobs in the Coyote Valley; determination that the city’s fiscal condition is stable (based on a forecast for five years of balanced budgets and the maintenance of city services at the same level as in 1993); and that the city can provide the necessary level of service.

District 10 General Plan task force member David Fadness urges AVCA members to become involved in planning the city’s General Plan. Photo by Jeanne C. Carbone

Once these triggers are met, the city will prepare a specific plan outlining the location of various uses in the area. The plan will include the creation of the final boundary in which urban development will not be allowed and an analysis of the environmental impact of growth including traffic impacts and infrastructure needs and other concerns. Until a specific plan becomes effective, the SAVUR is intended for continued use as a rural area.

General Plan Update
Envision San Jose 2040 is the city’s 37-member committee task force to guide the General Plan (GP) update process. The current GP was adopted in 1994 and guides the city’s decision making for land use and services. A preliminary final review and adoption is planned by January 2010.

“We’re just defining the shape at the table now,” said District 10 GP task force member David Fadness. “It’s early enough for people to input that process. If you have anything…let me know about it. I’m going to be sitting at the table as Nancy’s representative and it’s time now.”

“My number-one priority is sustainability. In the GP today, sustainability addresses environmental concerns. If we don’t begin today to review the fabric of our GP as far as fiscal and economic issues, we’re making a huge mistake,” added Fadness.

Rancho San Vicente
Part of the SAVUR is the 1,000-acre Rancho San Vicente property.

“There is an opportunity in the next 18 months with this update of the general plan to take control of the process,” said Jerry Strangis, a realtor who represents Rancho San Vicente Inc.

He presented the idea of a collaboration with the Almaden community and the owners of the Rancho San Vicente property. A report the property owner commissioned through HMH Engineers found 70 percent of the SAVUR is currently developed in the county with no input from the city. No development would be planned above the 15 percent slope line of approximately 880 acres, but below developers would like to build on the 130 acres. Fadness said that the 15 percent slope line is subject to engineering analysis because current maps may not be accurate.

The South Almaden Valley Urban Reserve has approximately 1,050 acres. The property owned by Rancho San Vicente Inc. is the yellow portion where it is seeking development.

Strangis suggested a collaboration allowing the dedication of the 880 acres as permanent public open space connecting Almaden Quicksilver and Calero County Parks with a density of 500 to 600 units on the 130 acres.

“You have the opportunity in the next year-and-a-half to control the process,” said Strangis. “The impact of 500 to 600 units is very low and you will at least control the process as stakeholders. The property would be a couple hundred units if we dedicated the 880 acres to public open space.”

The City Council voted against 16 homes to be built in Rancho San Vincente on 41-acre lots in 2006. District 10 Councilmember Nancy Pyle called the proposed development “piecemeal” and asked for a growth assessment of SAVUR, which has not been completed.

Other AVCA news
“T. J. Martin Park Neighborhood Association met and they’re concerned that Nancy Pyle’s proposal was to change their master plan,” said AVCA member Kitty Monahan. “She wants AVCA to talk to them about not changing the master plan.”

Lee Wilcox, Pyle’s chief of staff, stated that there is nothing in the master plan in regards to the park prohibiting organized sports. If the residents want to change the master plan, they need to start the process, although Pyle thought the money would be better used to purchase additional space for sports fields. Wilcox also said the District 10 office is in the process of communicating to find other possible park sites.

“We are doing several things regarding traffic calming that don’t pertain to the master plan, like additional red striping and asking the league to always have a police officer there to ticket people who park illegally,” said Wilcox.

The next meeting of the Envision Task Force is Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. in Wing Room W-118-120 of City Hall.