Willow Glen Neighborhood Association

P.O. Box 7706

San Jose, Ca. 95150-7706

408-294-WGNA 408-294-9462

www.wgna.net

Board Meeting

Willow Glen Methodist Church

(Newport & Minnesota)

February 11, 2004 – 7PM

1. Call to Order (Helen)

2. Note that Introductions and the Approval of Last Meeting Summary were not done and it was decided to do this at our next meeting

3. Officer Johnson Fong and Richard Yu from the San Jose Police Department (SJPD)

- Reviewed the homicide at Cottle and Pine

o The stabbed youth was known to challenge anyone wearing red since he was part of the Norteno (sp?) gang

o The homicide suspect was from the Las Vegas gang scene

o According to witness’ the suspect was vulgar and possibly bumping the other bus passengers

o Both the suspect and the victim got off the bus to resolve their differences and according to witness’ the suspect drew the knife and witness accounts indicate that the victim did not have a knife

o SJPD tracked the suspect and arrested him

o Suspect claims the victim had a knife although witness accounts contradict this

o The victim was a known gang member in the area of Alma and the DMV near Monterey Highway

- Officers commented that based on economics that gangs don’t have an opportunity to live in the Willow Glen area

- Question came from Margaret regarding a phone call on the hot line about the bus stop and people that use foul language and even spat on a home owner for confronting them about stealing oranges from his orange tree (and possible misc. vandalism).

o The officers reviewed a 4 step program that they have implemented

§ Special Operations in the form of Violent Crimes Organization (VCO) to monitor the situation

§ Taken approximately 6-7 officers from other districts and put them into Gang Suppressant Car’s (GS Car’s)

§ Existing Beat Officers are now taking a proactive approach

· One Example is finding out where there may be gang gatherings and parking in those areas while they fill out the paperwork that they need to while on duty

§ Campus Police are also taking steps

· Officer Richard Yu is part of this program on his off-days from SJPD and he will walk over to that bus stop with school officials

· Also note that the WGHS principal is a reserve police officer

- The officers did comment that of the 4 different gang murders in 2004 that all gang members that committed the crimes have been arrested

- We were advised that when we see something suspicious we should call 911 and that that confronting strangers is not recommended

o Officers utilize this data to note the times that these incidents happen and have some sort of presence near these locations

- Gang members were described as young men with short hair or shaved hair, usually a tattoo, baggy pants and the different gangs are:

o RED : Norteno (usually a Terrell Owens 49ers jersey)

o BLUE : Sureno (sp?) (usually Dallas Cowboys or L.A Dodgers Jersey)

o The officers also noted that they have kept the Sureno’s from retaliating the 4 homicides by the hands of the Norteno’s

- It was noted that if residents have issues the day shift officers can give a call to the resident (and Margaret provided a number to the officers)

- Enforcement is how the SJPD does community policing

- At the end of March a shift change in usually done by SJPD

- It was also noted by a resident that the WGHS colors are blue and that the school board is choosing to send the gang members that do not live in the WGHS district into WGHS based on the school colors

4. Treasurer’s Report (Margaret) $10,221.77 before the $1,000.00 check to Gardner Elementary School (so we should expect that the new total is $9,221.77…)

5. Presentations

a. Blanca Alvarado (Measure A)

- Blanca broke her foot so a handout was provided and not discussed

b. Gardner Elementary

- Millie (principal of Gardner Elementary) came to accept the $1k check from WGNA and was very appreciative. They were able to go back to full class schedule 1 week after the fire. Insurance issues with how to rebuild and what can be rebuilt are delaying things but they expect rebuild to begin this summer and take 1 year to complete. They lost 22k sq ft and added 7 portables for classes and 1 for the 22 administrators the school has. Getting back the library is important and they expect to have another portable in the next 3 weeks. They were able to get some bookshelves from a closing SJ library. They did lose their computer lab and it was quickly pointed out Intel had a moment of kindness by donating $15k for the teachers to rebuild their personal supplies.

c. Stone Church

- Fred Oliver came out and noted that the Stone Church at Clark and Lincoln will be doing some improvements to their structure.

- Marty of Bill Gould Design came out to explain the project (note that this design group did Galarza School) as well as Juan of Block Construction, who will be the GC on the project.

- Church built in 1940’s but has never been renovated so they will address code issues as well as update electrical, mechanical, accessibility issues and work on the kitchen and restrooms. Mainly inside improvements but they will enclose the exterior covered walkway for interior space.

- They will begin the Lincoln house portion of the project in late spring and the church in the summer

- They are having a neighborhood meeting on Thursday 2/19 at 7PM and they have emailed out to 500 ft of the property

- An Action was taken by Larry to post the meeting notice on the website

- There will be a tree removed from the property that is a Theodore Pine and it has damaged two cars due to the structural issues with the tree. Note that replacement of the tree was unclear as the city has not indicated what should be done

- There will be an on site project manager who will have a cellular number for neighbors of the church to call with questions and concerns while the project is going on

- Hours of the project will be 7AM to 3:30PM Monday through Friday

d. San Jose Fire Department Station # 6

- Harold – resident of Willow Glen has 23 years of Fire Department (FD) experience

o He is a division chief in another FD as an administrator (it could be in Atherton area)

- Station #6 has 5 people and 2 different apparatus

- 4 personnel are required at all times per OSHA

o If less than 4 then they cannot fight a fire per OSHA law

- 3 people run one of the pieces of equipment and 2 run another and this gives station #6 great capability

- Harold knows Dale Foster (SJFD Chief)

- There is a $15M impact to the FD

o Harold viewed this as interesting since the new city hall will take in $45M more than they have budgeted in office supplies (may have been drastically cut to $39M)

- If Station 6 loses a firefighter, it cannot run the hose truck

- Harold recommended that the board write a position paper based on the following

o Standard of Cover is 5 people and 2 pieces of equipment

§ Our keeping a hose wagon is rare, but apparently needed for the large lots that some residents have in WG

o There are not many fixes to the issue and we need to keep the more advanced life support style of needs and rescue squads

o Station 6 cannot handle a reduction to 4 firefighters and still fight fires effectively

o A brown out would be a horrible idea since it would eliminate a piece of equipment (fire lingo for truck)

§ Looks like there is a proposal for 100 brown out days, so 100 days with only one piece of equipment

§ Cannot happen on high fire danger days

§ Founders day event requires them to be present

§ Any other event in WG requires their presence

- WG is involved as a community and needs to stay involved in this issue

- We reviewed the Advanced Life Safety (ALS) and how different abilities of the multiple pieces of equipment have increased the number of “saves” in the field (i.e. residents that have been revived).

- Helen took an action to send an email

6. City/County Updates

- Note that there was no County update

- City update by Tony

o Ken is committed to saving the fire department

o Helen encouraged the attendees of the meeting to write letters

o On 2/24 the SJPD will be meeting with the North WGNA group regarding gangs

o Tuesday 3/9 Ken will be meeting with the police chief

o VTA is looking into moving the bus stop at Cottle and Pine

o Albertson’s project is still taking comments from residents

o Presentation HS is having a planning committee meeting tonight

7. Open Forum (items not on agenda, speakers limited to 3 min)

- Carol Myers from the SJUSD presented about school boundary issues

o Noted that we are getting gang members purposely sent by the school district to WGHS based on gang colors of blue

o There is a boundary meeting coming in May because of a court order

o Voluntary magnets will be kept in place

o WGHS is trying to get programs that give college credits to students and will provide them with the ability to go to city college for 1 year and then get guaranteed UC admission

o Capacity at Peter Burnett Middle School is becoming an issue

o The School Board is considering making Curtner the boundary for WGHS

o Washington Elementary has gang related issues and these kids go on to WGHS

o WGHS is being termed the “Gang” Magnet

o Other HS have had gang issues, especially SJHS and Lincoln (and even recently Leland)

o The superintendent is selecting a boundary committee and it was requested that WGNA have a representative at this meeting

o WG Elementary has 56% local residents and the other 44% are brought into the district (many on the grandfather rule)

o Jim Spence made a motion to draft a letter to the superintendent and board of education to keep existing Willow Glen High School Boundaries and have a WGNA director as part of the boundary selection committee

o Motion Seconded by Margaret Hardy and unanimously approved by the board

o Carol Myers contact data is 1468 Kiner Ave, San Jose, CA 95125 (408) 266-9124, tom@golfmyers.com, fax (408) 266-1653

8. Committee Reports

a. TAC (Jim)

- Jim and Helen met with Ken Yeager, Jim @ Public Works and WG Business and Professional Association

o No uplights will be installed, too much maintenance

o Money will be spent on signs with lights and button for pedestrians

o Barrier will be made in the middle of the street in the form of a 3’ island at Le Boulanger and near Aqui

o Much discussion was made about the sign blocking cars and bicycles but Jim and Helen insisted that the Public Works folks covered this issue fully to their satisfaction

o The uplight issue was discussed

- Based on the Montclair district in Oakland the recommendation was this cannot be done because maintenance is too expensive and over time drivers ignored the uplights

o Concerns regarding signs and lights came up but Jim and Helen insisted that the Public Works folks covered this issue fully to their satisfaction

o If there are any other questions they should be directed to Ken Yeager’s office

b. Hotline (Margaret)

- Reviewed bus stop and vandalism earlier in minutes

- Someone called to say that they would like to sponsor founders day, and Margaret Hardy indicated she would follow up on this action

c. Planning (Hugh)

- 2^nd units were discussed for strong economic community

o March 22^nd is an early stage meeting and there is no current proposal

o Charlie was concerned about the following

§ No garage conversions

§ 2 car off street parking per bedroom

§ normal fees and notification of construction

§ 2^nd story only if compatible with the neighborhood

§ It was recommended that Charlie and Hugh meet to discuss this and put together a letter

- The single family house permit process was discussed

o Changing so that the city council does not have to hear the issues anymore

- Attended a Coyote Valley meeting that is touting that it will create 50k jobs and 25k housing units

d. Albertson’s (Matt)

- Reviewed that the city is still accepting feedback

- It appears that although Albertson’s said they had a meeting with townhouse development between Curtis and the Albertson’s that this meeting did not take place back in September as originally thought. Albertson’s may have met with one member of the area, but not a group meeting.

e. Tamien (Ed)

- New plans to smooth out design aesthetics are being reviewed by San Francisco-based architectural firm Berger Detmer Ennis and they were selected as the lead architect. Their URL is http://www.bdearch.com/

- Tamien committee meeting coming up in 1^st week of March with new plan review

- Barry Swensen’s company is shooting for completing design plans in April

- Elk’s club property has been sold

f. Quick Stop report by Margaret indicated that they were denied a liquor license

g. Palm Haven contacted the board about a lot that has been sold and the design has a garage designed in the front of the property rather than in the rear

- This will create a situation that would require airlift of equipment into the back yard in order to access the utility poles

- Does not fit the area since it is a historical conservatory district (all changes have to go through a hearing with the city

- CC&R’s from 1913 dictate that setbacks are 10’ on each side and general city requirement is 5’.

- A motion was made by Ed that the WGNA write a letter to Stephen Hass (Director of Planning in support of the Palm Haven Neighborhood Association request that the proposal move the attached garage to the rear of the property consistent with the setbacks in the rest of the neighborhood

o This motion was not seconded

o It was noted that other houses in the area have a garage that is not at the rear of the property

- Margaret Hardy made a motion to write a letter to the director of planning Stephen Hass in support of the Palm Haven Neighborhood Association to reconsider the plan if and if at all possible put the garage in the back of the property to be consistent with the rest of the neighborhood

- Motion seconded by ???

- Motion passed 7-2

9. Ongoing Business

a. Newsletter

- Lots of articles

b. Candidates Night

- There is a minority forum night but WGNA is not planning a candidates night

10. New Business

- None

11. Announcements

- Larry and Ed will be going to 2/14/04 neighborhood forum at Shasta and the Alameda

12. Adjournment at 9:35PM, a non-Tamien meeting record

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