The Greenbelt Alliance’s blueprint for developing Coyote Valley
is a splendid starting point for residents, politicians, agencies
and organizations that will be affected by growth in the now-rural
region just north of Morgan Hill.
The Greenbelt Alliance’s blueprint for developing Coyote Valley is a splendid starting point for residents, politicians, agencies and organizations that will be affected by growth in the now-rural region just north of Morgan Hill.
The Greenbelt Alliance’s vision, unveiled last week, for the area includes 25,000 housing units for up to 80,000 people, employers providing up to 50,000 jobs, plans ahead for school facility sites, and emphasizes mass transit.
And although some – including Morgan Hill Mayor Dennis Kennedy, may quibble with the details – we’re not alone in initial approval of Greenbelt Alliance’s plan.
“They’re right on, frankly,” said John Sobrato, chairman of the Sobrato Development Corp., which owns 300 acres at the corner of Bailey and Santa Teresa about the plan.
We encourage County Supervisor Don Gage – whose District 1 territory includes Coyote Valley – and especially Morgan Hill Unified School District administrators and trustees – whose boundaries extend into South San Jose – to get involved in the process for planning Coyote Valley early.
The city of San Jose has already appointed a Coyote Valley specific plan task force to craft a detailed vision for Coyote Valley. We encourage them to take a close look at the suggestions offered by Greenbelt Alliance.
The current recession has slowed development in Coyote Valley – Cisco’s plans for a mammoth campus, for example, are on hold. Let’s take advantage of the time the recession affords us to plan thoughtful development that will yield jobs and housing together, that will minimize traffic and negative environmental impacts and that will plan for schools located near the student population.
Development in Coyote Valley will have a great impact within Morgan Hill’s borders and beyond to San Martin and Gilroy. The development will be felt not only on Morgan Hill’s public schools, but on police and fire services, healthcare systems, businesses and residents. It will bring additional customers to the region, and attract businesses that might otherwise not count enough “rooftops” in South County to meet their demographic criteria.
Even though Coyote Valley is on the San Jose side of the line, whatever changes occur there will greatly impact the rest of South County. The Greenbelt Alliance vision for Coyote Valley is a good step in making sure development there makes sense for the entire region.
