MORGAN HILL
– Supervisor Don Gage gave some advice Wednesday that a roomful
of South Valley officials was quick to adopt.
MORGAN HILL – Supervisor Don Gage gave some advice Wednesday that a roomful of South Valley officials was quick to adopt.
In order to get the City of San Jose’s attention to South County concerns about a planned Coyote Valley development, they should “ask them to respond to your comments. Keep putting the pressure on,” he said.
The same officials have frequently complained that their attempts to be part of the planning process have been rebuffed at every turn, though their efforts have allowed some progress, at least with San Jose’s mayor.
The problem is that San Jose is developing an entirely new, planned community in Coyote Valley, with more than 80,000 new people living in 25,000 new housing units and 50,000 new employees staffing a new industrial community.
The planned development will be located largely west of Monterey Road and north of Palm Avenue with Bailey Avenue as the center of new town.
Representatives of south valley cities, the county, school districts and others met for the second time last week to coordinate their worries about the effect this behemoth will have on their areas. The City of Gilroy is also part of the summit but was not present at the workshop. City Planner Melissa Durkin said Monday that she had not been informed of the second meeting.
A small contingent of this South Valley Coyote Valley Summit met a week ago with San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales and said they were pleased with his response.
Gonzales offered to listen, to meet any time and to pass the group’s concerns along to the Coyote Valley Specific Plan Task Force.
Nevertheless, summit members are concerned that the planing task force is racing ahead without fully appreciating what could happen to South Valley roads, air quality and housing prices. And the local group is chafing.
“Dialogue isn’t enough,” said Shellé Thomas, school board member. While we talk “they’re planning our schools.”
Coyote Valley is included in the Morgan Hill School and Gavilan College districts. Morgan Hill School District would be responsible for planning, building and financing at least 10 new elementary, middle and high schools.
In addition, Gavilan is contemplating a new campus for which too little land has been allocated, according to Steve Kinsella, Gavilan’s president.
“Some legislative influence may be required,” said Mayor Dennis Kennedy.
Superintendent Carolyn McKennan said she worried about the kind of schools being planned.
“They are not listening,” McKennan said. “They are ignoring us or have already concluded we will have smaller campuses and multi-story buildings.”
All MHSD schools are one-story and in semi-rural areas.
A specific plan determines what land will be used for, where schools, parks and shopping areas will be located and how transit, watershed and industry will be distributed.
Richard DeSmet, who owns 51 acres on Palm Avenue in the urban reserve, said he was scrambling to find out what San Jose plans to do with the area and what controls would be put on his land.
“I’m trying to catch up to the train but it has already left the station,” DeSmet said. “No greenbelt owners are on the task force.”
The next summit meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 11, at the Morgan Hill Community Center.
Details: www.ci.san-jose.ca.us/coyotevalley.
