May 19, 2005


Planning Commission approves rezoning to build 25 homes in Almaden

Residents worried about lack of parking, pedestrian safety at
McAbee Road entrance of Almaden Quicksilver County Park

By Sheila Sanchez
Staff Writer

Some homeowners along Broadacres Drive are worried that giant two-story monster homes will soon block their beautiful pastoral view of the McAbee Road entrance to Almaden Quicksilver County Park.

Several cars are parked along the McAbee Road entrance to Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Pierce Ranch neighborhood residents fear if a parking lot is not built along with a single-family home development, park users will continue to park on nearby streets endangering themselves. Photo by Sheila Sanchez

Others living along Whispering Pines, McAbee Road, Whitbourne, Sky-farm, and Ironview drives are overwhelmed with traffic in the afternoon and weekends when hikers, joggers and walkers come to park to exercise and enjoy the scenery.

The residents are hoping that a new development community of 25 homes will help the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department purchase land to build off-street parking to accommodate park users now in danger of being hit by a car as they enter or exit the environmental oasis.

The land in question for both projects is owned by longtime Almaden resident Anthony G. Pierce Sr.
“We hope they can put a parking lot there,” said Leonard Procker, a member of the Pierce Ranch Neighborhood Watch group, representing about 80 families who live near the planned development.

Procker said the neighbors would like a 75-car parking lot tucked into the park, at the beginning of McAbee Road when construction of the homes begins. He expressed frustration that dialogue has been slow between the city, the county and Pierce to make the parking lot a reality.

Meanwhile, on May 11 the San Jose Planning Commission unanimously approved the rezoning of 5.74 acres of land to allow the construction of the single-family detached residences at the northwest corner of McAbee Road and Skyfarm Drive.

Commissioners, however, voted to allow about 3.18 acres adjacent to the land where the houses will be built to continue to be used as a single-family residence.

The San Jose City Council is scheduled to consider the item at 7 p.m., June 7, at City Hall.

Parking is a major concern
Commissioners spent a considerable amount of time last Wednesday evening discussing the area’s parking challenges.

Procker said without a parking lot the park users would leave their vehicles along the streets of the new homes.
Residents also indicate that the McAbee Road entrance to the park, although not an official gateway, is the place where many community events happen such as last week’s spring walk.

“[The parking lot] is something that should happen, could happen, but doesn’t really seem like it’s on a path to happening,” Procker said.

San Jose Principal Planner Jean Hamilton echoed Procker’s concerns. “Unfortunately sometimes people don’t use good sense and they’re out there in the middle of the street stretching… the residents are concerned. It’s a public street and people can park there, but people who go hiking and running often encroach into the travel lane when they prepare for their activities. There’s a real concern that there could be a pedestrian accident.”

Hamilton said the county is interested in acquiring the second parcel of land to build the parking lot, but it would be a separate project, which has not been environmentally studied.

Sandeep Agrawal, who moved into the Pierce Ranch neighborhood more than a year ago, said he wished the city would not build the homes. “I think the natural beauty is nice and it’s one of the assets of being up here. I’m sure it’s going to raise property values, but this is not as important as the area’s beauty,” he said.

The big barn structure owned by Anthony G. Pierce Sr., which used to be a dairy ranch, is coming down. Photo by Sheila Sanchez.

Almaden hiker and amateur nature photographer Doug Block, a frequent park user, said it was unfortunate that the development seemed to be moving forward. “They have a right to do what they want to do, but if I was living here I wouldn’t want those homes,” he said. “I would be upset.”

The environmental review to allow SummerHill Homes to proceed with its planned “Lands of Pierce Ranch” development has been completed and found to not have a significant effect on the environment.

The homes will be between 2,700 and 3,800 square feet and will be constructed on 8,000-square-foot lots, consistent with the nearby neighborhood.

On May 4, city planners sent a notice to all owners and occupants of property within 500 feet of the project to inform them of its mitigated negative declaration. The public review period for the declaration began April 5 and ended May 4.

A ‘clean’ construction zone
While the project is being constructed, planners will require the developer to provide trees and landscaping, downward-directed low-pressure sodium vapor street lights along the public streets to prevent offsite light and glare, daily sweeping and washing of public streets impacted by the project construction activities and clearing debris, rubbish and trash from any areas onsite visible from a public street.

To preserve the area’s air quality, the developer will also be required to water all active construction areas at least twice daily or as often as needed to control dust emissions, cover all trucks hauling soil, sand and other loose materials and ensure that all trucks hauling such materials maintain at least two feet of freeboard.

The developer will also have to be sensitive to biological resources protecting trees where necessary, particularly a 26-inch diameter valley oak tree and respecting the nesting seasons for swallows, raptors, burrowing owls and bat species.

SummerHill Homes will also have to establish a riparian setback from the McAbee Creek, ranging from a maximum of 242 feet in the southeasterly portion of the site to a minimum of 78 feet in the westerly portion of the site, where no development will occur, with barrier fencing being installed around the drip line of all riparian trees or at the edge of demolition areas.

Cultural resources will also be taken into consideration in the event of the discovery of human remains during construction, particularly if they’re Native American or if there’s evidence of prehistoric or historic cultural resources in consultation with the Native American Heritage Commission and the History San Jose group.

The mitigated negative declaration, initial study and reference documents related to the development can be reviewed 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, at the San Jose Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement, City Hall, 801 N. First St., Room 400, San Jose, Calif., 95110 or reviewed online at http://www.sanjoseca.gov/planning/eir/mnd.htm. The San Jose City Council will vote on the rezoning of the land at 7 p.m., June 7, at City Hall’s Council Chambers, 801 N. First St., San Jose, Calif., 95110.