Joint county/state park moves closer to fruition

A 257-acre state and Santa Clara County park in South San Jose
moved closer to fruition Tuesday after its master plan was approved
by the county board of supervisors.
A 257-acre state and Santa Clara County park in South San Jose moved closer to fruition Tuesday after its master plan was approved by the county board of supervisors.

The main uses of the Martial Cottle Park – which is bounded by Chynoweth Avenue, Snell Avenue, Branham Lane and Highway 85 – would include visitor-serving and recreational facilities and trails, educational programs, agricultural production and habitat enhancement.

More than half of Martial Cottle Park would be used for agricultural production to provide food primarily for local and regional markets. It would include on-site marketing opportunities for farmers, as well as facilities for produce storage, processing and packaging, according to a press release from the county.

The board’s actions also included certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report and determination that the Park Plan is compatible with the Williamson Act Compatible Use Determination Findings and the county’s vision of fostering the valley’s rich agriculture history, according to the release.

The park is being named after Walter Cottle Lester, who in 2004 donated 287.54-acre property to the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department and the California State Parks Department.

“Martial Cottle Park would protect a piece of the Santa Clara Valley’s history and provide vital agricultural, recreational, and educational resources for our community,” District 1 Supervisor Mike Wasserman said, whose district includes the park. “Providing cultural enrichment opportunities and protecting our open space is a top priority for the county.”

Funding for the development of the Park Plan was allocated in the county’s Park Charter Fund and a grant from the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority. Phase 1 includes $20 million set aside in the Park Charter Fund and would be augmented by the Open Space Authority, federal funding and other external sources, the release said.