Angry New Almaden residents want Almaden Valley Community Association to take a position on development project

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

At their monthly meeting on Nov. 10, board members from the Almaden Valley Community Association faced angry residents requesting that they take a position on the proposed development at Almaden Road and Barnes Lane.

“It sets precedent for future developments in the area,” says Dan Henriod, whose biggest concern lies with sensible rural open development. “If we allow 26 here, more will happen. We want to stop the high density stuff that’s going to really change the flavor of the neighborhood and create traffic and school problems.”

Mark Robson of Santa Clara Development Company also attended the meeting, reminding the association of the concessions and improvements already made pursuant to community requests—improvements supported by the city staff. “We lowered the density,” he explains. “I think we’re doing some very good things. Right now, it’s a blighted condition at the site and this is going to clean some of that up.”

Robson adds that the project was categorically exempt from performing a traffic study. The company had a study conducted anyway and although traffic was deemed not to be a problem, he elected to continue with plans to install medians on Almaden Road to curb the speeding problem.

After a lengthy debate on both sides, a motion was made by Kitty Monahan, requesting that the board take a position favoring the current zoning of two parcels per acre at the project site. Although Monahan and two others favored the motion, two opposed it, including Bob Boydston, and two, including District Ten candidate Nancy Pyle abstained. The motion failed to pass with the required five votes.

“It’s a shame,” commented New Almaden resident Blondie Barnd. “I’ve lived out here for 30 years and the city of San Jose is letting this happen. We’ve got a beautiful valley out there and its getting eaten up by track homes.”