Willow Glen
Neighborhood
Association

April, 2005 editor: Larry Ames

May General Meeting

Tuesday, May 10, 7 PM

Willow Glen United Methodist Church

(on Minnesota at Newport)

topic: “Common Neighborhood Complaints and Concerns”

Note the Location:
even though the monthly Board meetings are now at the Baptist Church on Minnesota at Hicks, this General Meeting is at the Methodist Church at Newport (a few blocks to the east.)

1) Airport Noise and Expansion

Ed Shikada, Deputy City Manager, Airport senior management and Noise Manager.

(Also tentatively scheduled to attend: Bill Sherry, incoming Airport Director)

2) San Jose Planning Department

Building code enforcement issues, and private property parking regulations.

3) San Jose Parking

Public street parking regulations, non operational and abandoned vehicle procedures, and how to contact them

Also: Ken Yeager will be attending to discuss Willow Glen and District 6 issues and concerns.

~also~

Election for the WGNA Board
and Membership Opinion Survey.

Letter from the President

Helen Solinski

As my final days of service wind down, I reflect back on the past two years with humble admiration for my fellow board members and so many of you that I’ve come to know and respect. I couldn’t have done this job without your support, knowledge and endless hours of personal time and dedication.

As usual, I’m always in awe of our accomplishments together and would like to list some of our achievements over the last 2 years.

· The Tamien Project, will now “fit” into our community thanks to Ed Rast and others.

· Del Monte/KB Homes – work in progress!

· D’s (formerly “The Glen”) – working with city staff to make sure the city’s late night hour policy is enforced.

· Granny Units – WGNA dedicated a General Meeting to this topic.

· Future Dog Park – looks like a location has been decided!

· Saving the hose wagon at Station 6 (never ending battle)

· Baseball Stadium – WGNA is in the loop and will stay in the loop on this one!

· Airport Issues – always a challenge but always on our Agenda!

· Lincoln Avenue – working with the WGBPA & Ken Yeager’s office on traffic issues and new crosswalk signage.

And much, much more, but I’m sure Larry has other plans for our newsletter so I will use the rest of my allocated space to give a big “THANK YOU” to my fellow board members (you have taught me so much), my mentor, Kristina Cunningham, our Councilman Ken Yeager and aide Tony Felice for their support on many challenging issues, and most of all to my husband and son for always supporting and understanding my passion to stay involved!

Helen Solinski, WGNA President

Airport Noise

Ed Rast

No one likes being disturbed or awaken by airplane noise, but at the same time most of us want a convenient airport that is easy to get in and out of: we travel more frequently now than at any time since the invention of the airplane. San Jose’s airport, like many other urban airports, is near downtown and surrounded on all sides by homes and business.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the State of California regulate the Airport Noise programs. FAA regulations restrict local cities from imposing additional airport noise restrictions, invoking rules that allow them to “terminate eligibility for airport grant funds and authority to impose or collect passenger facility charges for an airport operator’s failure to comply with Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990.” San Jose’s existing curfew regulations were “grandfathered in”, allowing them to comply with federal law, even while new restrictions are strictly prohibited.

The San Jose City Council, working with the court to settle Larry Ellison’s lawsuits, obtained FAA approval to change the Airport’s grandfathered curfew ordinance in October 2003. The previous curfew between 11:30 PM. and 6:30 AM prevented after-hours activity by aircraft weighing more than 75,000 pounds, regardless of noise levels. It was revised to replace the weight-based limit with a “comparable” noise-based limit: the ordinance now restricts flights by aircraft that exceed the FAA-measured average 89 effective noise decibels.

[Note that the curfew is not a prohibition against all flights, and now America West is scheduling a routine landing at 1:40 in the morning. This is technically legal since they are planning to use a “quiet” mid-sized aircraft. --ed.]

San Jose voters approved significant airport expansion for needed passenger and cargo capacity to assist with local job retention, economic growth and business competitiveness. San Jose is the 11th largest US city but ranks 35th in airport passengers, while San Francisco is 14th largest and ranks 13th in passengers. (Oakland is 31st in population and 43rd in passengers.) Many local residents and business use other Bay Area airports, and San Jose loses needed airport revenue. San Francisco airport had $486 million in revenue while San Jose had $89 million.

There are four recognized airport noise reduction elements: (1) reduce aircraft noise, (2) operational flight procedures to avoid noise sensitive areas, (3) soundproofing of homes within federal or state designated noise-impacted areas, and (4) land-use planning. San Jose, depending on who you talk to, has varying level of success or failure.

WGNA has done some preliminary research of California Airports and believes some improvement is possible by working with airport management to:

• revise the Airport Vision statement to clearly define what is a “good neighbor” regarding noise abatement and other resident “quality of life issues” while balancing to need for economic growth and profitable airport expansion;
• add additional noise monitors and implement a participatory approach to noise abatement compliance, like San Francisco’s Fly Quite Program that grades airline performance in a published report that encourage airlines to be “good neighbors”; and
• work with the FAA on operational flight procedures to “avoid noise sensitive areas”, since many noise problems come from FAA-permitted exceptions for delayed scheduled flights that allow them to take shortcuts on the flight routes.

San Jose is significantly restricted by FAA regulations regardless of what the resident expect or want, and there is concern that too much pressure could result in the airlines taking court action to negate the San Jose’s FAA-grandfathered curfew clause.

WGNA will have Ed Shikada, Deputy City Manage, Airport management and Noise Manager speaking at the WGNA Spring members meeting on Tuesday, May 10th, 7 – 9 PM. Bill Sherry, incoming Airport Director, is also tentatively planning on attending.

Garage Sale Etiquette!

Ellen Santomauro

It’s that time of year...Garage Sale Season!

Pry open your Garage doors, unearth the kids toys that they don’t play with any more, dust off those clothes that have been hanging around the closet too long and chase the cobwebs off of the bowling ball.

Garage sales are a great way to eliminate the items that you are no longer using, make some extra $$$$$, and meet your neighbors!  Here are a few hints for having a successful sale:

• Tell your neighbors so you have more families participating to make your sale more attractive to potential buyers

• Advertise! Some people like to put ads in the newspapers, while others prefer the old street sign method. Use whatever system you prefer, but remember to include the important info: Date, time and location.
• Remember, when hanging signs, DO NOT nail or staple the signs into a tree. The puncture damages the tree bark. You may be thinking one little hole, what damage can it have? Think about all the other people that will be hanging signs and potentially making holes. Those nails will make a lasting impression on our neighborhood trees. If you must use a tree to hang your sign, a safer approach is to get some clear, wide packing tape and wrap the tape around the sign and the entire tree trunk. Do this a few times and your sign isn’t going anywhere.
• Make your prices attractive to shoppers. The last thing you want to do is haul the stuff back into your house, right?!
• Have plastic or paper shopping bags for those shoppers that buy the little items and need a bag to carry home the items. Also remember to have newspaper around to wrap the breakable things.
• Go to the bank a day or two ahead of time to get plenty of change: coins and one dollar bills.
• Group the same priced items on a table or in a certain area, i.e. 25 cents section, $1 table.
• Clean your items. Get the dust off. Yes they are used but they should still be clean.
• Don’t be afraid to put strange stuff out for sale. You never know what the shoppers are looking for!
• Call a non-profit the week prior to your sale and schedule a pick-up after your sale. They can take all of the left over items. This will ensure that the stuff doesn't go back into your house.
• And lastly, CLEAN UP the signs. Your neighbors don’t want to look at old faded signs flapping in the wind.

GOOD LUCK!

Trails Update

Ken Yeager, San Jose Councilmember, Dist. 6

We all know how important our trail system is for the environment and for recreational use.  It is also beneficial to the health of our residents. A recent survey by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department revealed that 62% of men and 42% of women in the County are overweight or obese, and a high obesity rate in children is also well documented. An integrated trail system helps people stay in shape.  Whether it be walking, jogging, biking or skating, just being on the trails helps keep us healthy. 

A recent inventory of the trails in San Jose revealed that there is potential for 152 miles of trails.  Imagine, 152 miles! With vision and determination, San Jose can be known as the City of Trails.  Much progress has already been made, although there is much more to do.  To learn more about our City-wide trails system, please visit the City’s trails web site at http://www.sanjoseca.gov/prns/counciltrailinfo.htm.  Since being elected to the San Jose City Council over four years ago, I have been committed to build and expand our trail system.  Much progress has been made by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services, and it is my hope that these trails will be completed soon so that our residents can reap all of the benefits, health and otherwise, that such resources provide. 

The following is an update on two of our most popular trails, the Guadalupe River trail and the Los Gatos Creek trail.

Guadalupe River Trail

I hope residents are aware of one of the jewels of downtown San Jose, the Guadalupe River Park, which begins at Highway 280 by Woz Way.  The segment of the Guadalupe River trail between 280 and Park Avenue is complete and open to the public.  The segment from Park to Santa Clara Street will be completed by the end of June and will be open to the public by the end of July. The segment from Santa Clara Street to Coleman Avenue will be open by September 10. The section from Coleman to 880 has been opened for several years and is a wonderful area to explore if you are unfamiliar with it. 

The next segment north on the Guadalupe River trail is along the airport. This segment is usable, even though it isn’t paved. The airport is preparing a Pedestrian/Bicycle Master Plan that identifies routes to and within the airport, including the Guadalupe River trail. City staff is working closely with the airport to integrate this plan with the ongoing Trail Master Plan being prepared by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services. 

To the south, a master plan has just been completed for the segment from Woz to Willow Street.  Design work will commence in a few months, and funding is in place for construction. Signs will soon be posted along Willow to direct people to the Highway 87 bikeway at the northern end of the Tamien Light Rail Station.  Once on the bikeway, you can travel all the way to Santa Teresa Boulevard.  A short ride along public streets gets you back to the river at Chynoweth Avenue, where you can continue along the trail until Lake Almaden. From the lake, you can continue southward along the Los Alamitos trail to the City’s southern border.  In a few months, you’ll be able to access the Guadalupe Creek interim trail, west of Almaden Expressway.

Los Gatos Creek Trail

It has been a while since I gave an update on the Los Gatos Creek trail.  As most people know, the trail is complete from Lexington Reservoir to Meridian Avenue. The route then goes along Willow Street to Lincoln Avenue. There is a current city project to extend the next piece of the trail from Lincoln to Auzerais. This alignment will be accessible from Lonus Avenue and Coe Avenue via the abandoned Union Pacific rail lines – the City is taking steps at this time to purchase this right of way.  The City is working with a consultant to provide planning, design, engineering, and construction management services for this segment of the trail.

The remaining stretch from Auzerais Avenue to Park will need to be coordinated with the development of the Del Monte property between Auzerais and San Carlos Street.  The trail would then parallel Montgomery Street to the intersection of Park. The trail would run along the west bank of the creek from Park to San Fernando Street.  City staff is working with the Valley Transportation Authority and Redevelopment Agency to develop appropriate alignments and financing for the remaining segment between San Fernando and Santa Clara Streets and Arena Green, where the Los Gatos Creek joins the Guadalupe River.  

One of San Jose’s treasures is its trails, all 152 miles worth.  The Council has just amended its Park Dedication Ordinance to include fees going to purchase and construct trails, which will help to expand our trail system so generations to come can enjoy them.

See you on the trails!

Dancin’ On the Avenue

Ellen Santomauro

put on your dancing shoes and get ready to kick your heels up for DANCIN’ ON THE AVENUE! The Willow Glen Business and Professional Association is holding the 10th Anniversary of Dancin’ on the Avenue Saturday, June 18th 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, on Lincoln Ave. between Minnesota and Willow. Come on down and enjoy the music, the food and liquid refreshments. Bring the whole family; there will be music for everyone and plenty of fun too. It’s the Willow Glen event of the summer! Proceeds will go to the Willow Glen Business and Professional Association and will be used to make “The Avenue” a great place to shop and eat.

If you would like to support this event by working in a Beer, Wine or Soda booth, please contact Judy Kane at 408/504-6614 or Judy.Kane@PruRealty.com.

Willow Glen Way Bridge

the replacement of the bridge over the Guadalupe River (see last newsletter) will be delayed until next year: it has taken longer than expected for the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) to obtain CalTrans approval and funding, and so now there is not enough time to complete the construction project before the onset of the next rainy season.

For more information, contact Dennis Cheong, project manager, at 408/265-2607 x2618.

Santa Clara County Household Hazardous Waste Program

Joan Bohnett

REMINDER – It’s spring-cleaning time and our county has a great household waste program.  Matt Hall wrote about this program in our last fall’s newsletter.  I just had my first experience this month when I took three trunk loads of waste.  I found the technicians to be friendly and efficient and the system well organized.

You can find out more about this program at www.hhw.org or by calling (408)299-7300.  It’s well worth the time and effort.

Change in Bylaws

WGNA has a published set of bylaws by which it operates. These bylaws may be changed from time to time as the need warrants. The bylaws changes can be approved by a vote of the membership. Alternatively, if the bylaw changes do not impact Section VI, Sections 1 or 2 (Composition and Terms of Office for the Board), the changes can be approved with only an action of the WGNA Board. While the Board generally brings controversial amendments to a vote of the entire membership even if it could approve it unilaterally, it tries not to bother the membership with small technical changes: all that is required is that the membership be notified. So:

The WGNA Board voted to make two small changes to its bylaws:

1) Checks written on the WGNA bank account will now need two signatures (Treasurer, President, and/or Secretary) if the check is for an amount over $1,000.00. Previously, all checks needed the two signatures.

2) The fiscal year will now go from June 1st to the following May 31st. Prior to this, the accounting year went from January 1st to December 31st, but it was decided that it would be easier on the Treasurer if the accounting year corresponds with the term of office.

Note: The bylaws also state that a quorum of the membership has to vote in order for an election of the Board to be valid. The bylaws do not spell out what happens if a vote does not obtain a quorum. Please be sure to cast your ballot in the WGNA Board election so that we do not end up in uncharted territory!

The complete bylaws can be viewed on our website at www.wgna.net\bylaws.htm.

1984 Lincoln Avenue Study.

Larry Ames

Lincoln Avenue has been at the heart of Willow Glen ever since its founding. You may be interested to know that WGNA has been actively involved in the health and success of the business district for decades, and that we have made (and continue to make) a positive impact.

Twenty years ago, then-Councilmember Nancy Ianni arranged for a Neighborhood Block Grant to go for studying Lincoln Avenue. At the time, Lincoln Avenue was a rather barren stretch of 4-lane highway, without street-trees or crosswalks. There were maybe six second-hand or junk shops between Willow and Minnesota, with a seventh planning to move in. The buildings were drab and in disrepair, the businesses disorganized, and “they rolled up the sidewalk at 5:30”.

Over a year-long period, WGNA members, local business representatives, City staff and outside consultants worked on a study of Lincoln Avenue. And they came up with a number of concrete suggestions (literally!): crosswalks with “bulb-outs” and archways, and benches and other streetscape improvements. The block grant funded a loan program for businesses to spruce up the facades (paint, awnings, window treatments). The plan helped the businesses organize and to fund the hiring of a manager (Helen Owens) who then helped coordinate business advertising, closing hours, and sales events. Trees were planted the length of the Avenue.

An implicit “deal with the Devil” was made: Lincoln Avenue would remain four lanes of heavy commuter traffic, in exchange for keeping that traffic off of adjacent streets. In order to keep Cherry a simple residential street, Bird a 2-lane street, and Blewett a quiet side street, we had to live with the traffic on Lincoln at least until Freeway 87 was built. When 87 went in, it quickly became backed up and so we still didn’t get reduced and calmed traffic on Lincoln Avenue. Perhaps, once the carpool lanes now being constructed on 87 are open, we can revisit ideas on traffic calming, enhanced parking, fewer lanes of through traffic, and maybe even a central left-turn lane.

Another of the outcomes of the study was the Founders’ Day Festival: it was designed to raise local awareness and appreciation of Willow Glen and Lincoln Avenue. Imagine: closing down the 4-lane for an afternoon, getting out, walking about, and actually seeing what was virtually at their front doorstep! WGNA played a major role in the first Founders’ Day event, but it soon became more than a couple volunteers could handle, and it also became more of a business event, so the Business Association played an ever larger role, with WGNA maintaining a booth or two and coordinating Historic Walking Tours. Over the years, the dynamics have changed: the downtown San Jose event, Tapestry in Talent, moved to Labor Day, and there are now a number of other local arts-and-crafts events (Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Los Altos, …). Also, the WG business association underwent some stresses and strains, and was unable to continue the Founders’ Day event. WGNA put on the 75th Anniversary Founders’ Day Event by itself, but it nearly burned out all of the Boardmembers, and it also meant that we had less time to devote to other matters of more lasting nature such as zoning and land-use issues.

The Lincoln Avenue Study is still in effect. It is filled with a number of useful zoning and design guidelines. WGNA was able to use the Study when discussing with City Staff and developers the design of the proposed Longs Drugstore building. We were able to point to specific language, adopted by the City, which referred to building mass, rhythm of rooflines, and window treatments. As a result, the building was redesigned and now is a welcome addition to the Avenue.

We have recently converted the Study to electronic format (.JPG images). If you would like a copy of it, along with parts of the Los Gatos Creek Trail Master Plan and the 1927 map of Willow Glen, send $2 to WGNA for a CD (including postage and handling).

Sewer pipes: Lincoln Ave & Willow St.

Larry Ames

The City’s Division of Engineering and Construction Service will do a Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project this summer on Lincoln Avenue between Willow and Minnesota, and also on Willow Street between Lincoln and Bird. As described at a recent presentation to the WGNA Board, it will be an interesting process: they will clean out and inspect the pipes at night, then force in plastic liners much like inflating a balloon. This will patch various leaks in the pipes and also make them smoother for better flow. They only have to dig up the street in those places where the pipes have collapsed or shifted out of alignment. The construction is scheduled to start this August, and should be finished by March ’06.

One item of historic interest: most streets have a single sewer line down the middle of the street, with laterals coming in from both sides. However, both Lincoln and Willow have dual lines, one along each side of the street. Reason for this: there were once trolley lines down the middle of the street, and they didn’t want to dig them up when they put in the sewer pipes!

eList

Larry Ames

The eList (WGNA’s free electronic “chat with your neighbors over the back fence” service) continues to thrive, and now has about 650 subscribers. (To join, write to Ellen Santomauro at “admin@wgna.net” with the words “join eList” or “digest eList” in the subject line (for “immediate mode” or “daily compendium”).

As you may have read in the San Jose Mercury News, the eList helped local neighbors assist the victims of the recent apartment fire. Messages flew back and forth describing the situation, what was needed (e.g., diapers for toddlers), where to take donations, how to deal with bureaucratic red tape (thanks, Ken Yeager, for finding a way to work around that one!), and generally being of assistance. Folks, you did the neighborhood proud!

Election

The Nominating Committee has put forward a slate of candidates for WGNA Board for 2005 - 06 (see below). Note that this year the slate is uncontested. We still request that you cast your ballot, either by mail or (better still) in person at the May General Meeting. Your vote gives the incoming Board legitimacy: it shows them that they have your support, and enables them to speak on your behalf on all the various issues that affect Willow Glen.

And, as always, please feel free to contact the Board to let them know of your issues and concerns. The email of the President is President@wgna.net, and the email for First Vice President is 1st‑VP@wgna.net. Other email addresses: 2nd-VP@wgna.net, Treasurer@wgna.net, and Secretary@wgna.net. (You can also write to admin@wgna.net to join the eList, or history@wgna.net to arrange to share an oral history or story about Willow Glen.)

WGNA Board Nominees

Jim Gardner

The WGNA Nominating Committee (Jim Gardner, Kris Cunningham, Sharon Fierro, and Lynn Repetsky, with Vern Ladd concurring afterwards) puts forward the following slate for the WGNA Board 2005 - 2006:

President: Ed Rast

1st Vice President: Ellen Santomauro

2nd Vice President: Jim Spence

Secretary: Carol Rossebo

Treasurer: Joan Bohnett

Board of Directors:

Larry Ames

Harvey Darnell

Hugh Graham

Charley Luckhardt

Nominating Committee (to select next year’s slate of candidates)

Jim Gardner (Chair)

Kris Cunningham

Sharon Fierro

Vern Ladd

Lynn Repetsky

As per the bylaws, the incoming President is to appoint between two and four additional members to the WGNA Board. Ed Rast intends to appoint Helen Solinski and Margaret Hardy to the Board in recognition of their years of experience on the Board.

The Nominating Committee is very pleased with the slate that we are presenting to the WGNA membership and congratulates this year’s Board on a job well done.

Biographies of the Nominees

Edward Rast, President

Ed has been a Willow Glen resident since 1989, successful small business owner since 1986. Involved in Strong Neighborhoods Initiative and United Neighborhoods of Santa Clara County. Neighborhood interests include planning / land use, traffic, flood control project resurvey, parks / recreation, and neighborhood family activities. Recent projects: Tamien Station Specific Plan development and Public Outreach policy.

Ellen Santomauro, 1st VP

Working with the WGNA group these past three years has been a great experience. I’ve learned more about how the city functions and how to work towards a common goal of making our piece of the city a better place to live. I would enjoy the opportunity to work with WGNA for another year. I’ve lived in WG for 9 years and my two sons are currently at WGMS.

Jim Spence, 2nd-VP

I have been serving the Willow Glen community as Board member of the WGNA since 2002. During this time I have been involved with Lincoln Avenue improvements and liaison to the WG Business and Professional Association. I am asking for your vote to continue serving you.

Carol Rossebo, Secretary

A 3 year resident of Willow Glen and appointed to the WGNA Board in August 2004. I’m an ex-high tech professional of 20+ years and now work “On the Avenue”. I’ve lived in numerous south bay cities over the years and I’ve never had a sense of community like I do in Willow Glen. My husband and I really enjoy living here and I want to be a part of keeping Willow Glen a great place to live.

Joan Bohnett, Treasurer

I was born and raised in Willow Glen and have lived here for the majority of my life.  I’ve been active on the Palm Haven Restoration Committee since its inception in 2002 and have been a member of the WGNA Board for the past year. Some years back I was President of an Association and responsible for its budget. I look forward to continuing to work with others in WGNA on issues which affect the neighborhood of Willow Glen.

Larry Ames, Elected Board

WGNA newsletter editor; eList moderator; creeks, trails and parks advocate; and historic continuity (“corporate memory”) for the Board. Day job: Lockheed Martin, where I’m an “Eccentric Physicist” (a.k.a. “Mad Scientist”).

Harvey Darnell, Elected Board

Active with the Greater Gardner Strong Neighborhoods Initiative and VP of the North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association. Involved in zoning and land-use issues, on the Citizen Advisory Board to the Redevelopment Agency, played a major role in the Tamien Station redesign efforts. Day job: Nurse Specialist at Kaiser Permanente.

Hugh Graham, Elected Board

Retired Principal Planner with Santa Clara County. Was responsible for assuring compliance of development projects with environmental laws and preparation of open space program. As a Board member, he has been actively following development proposals, maintaining the Proposed Project List on the wgna.net webiste, and is working hard to save historic buildings at the Del Monte cannery site.

Charley Luckhardt, Elected Board

Charley is a lifelong resident of San Jose. He is especially interested in aircraft noise and street traffic. He represented the Association for several years at the Airport Noise Committee.

Jim Gardner, Nominating Committee Chair

I was a member of the WGNA board for three years, two as Treasurer, and the WGNA Nominating committee for two years.  I’ve been a resident of Willow Glen since 1989, and I am also owner of Phoenix Technical Publications located on Lincoln Ave.

Opinion Poll

The election of incoming WGNA Board may be uncontested, but nonetheless important. An added incentive for voting: a number of non-binding opinion questions. Please mark your ballots and let us know how you feel on these issues. We will use this feedback, along with information gleaned from the membership renewal form questions, to guide our actions and concentrate our efforts.

Question 1: Where should WGNA focus its efforts?

First, some background information:

WGNA was founded over thirty years ago in response to specific challenges – an effort by the City to widen and cut-through several streets so as to accommodate commuters from the southern suburbs – and so traffic, parking, and zoning have been at the core of the WGNA psyche ever since. However, WGNA is more than a NIMBY (“not in my back yard”) organization, and we have undertaken a number of other activities over the years, such as

• organizing community festivals (Founders’ Day, Ice Cream Socials, and we have thought about showing old movies some summer evenings in the park),
• undertaking environmental projects (the Los Gatos Urban Stream Restoration Project, street tree plantings),
• historic preservation (working to save some older buildings by pushing for landmark status, publishing historic walking tour guidebooks, and we’re starting to collect oral histories and Willow Glen stories), and
• sponsoring public art projects (the sculptures in a couple local parks and along Lincoln Avenue).
• WGNA is also encouraging community communication with the wgna.net website, the eList, and perhaps by posting flyers on public bulletin boards (e.g., at the local library).

Other neighborhood associations also sponsor member support services such as coordinating after-school training classes, or serve as a community safety resource (e.g., coordinating neighborhood watches, clean-ups/graffiti paintouts).

So, finally(!), Question 1:

Given the limited hours of volunteer labor available, where should WGNA concentrate its efforts? Divide a total of 6 points among the various activities, either all for your single favorite topic, or split 50-50 among your two top favorites, or split among several choices. Should WGNA continue its recent concentration on traffic/zoning issues, or should it expand or switch to other activities? (And, as a follow-on, are you willing to help? Write/call/email us and volunteer!)

Question 2: SJC

How do you feel about the airport? It is vital to the economic well being of the community, but we are in its flight-path and we do appreciate peace-and-quiet in the evening. WGNA will continue to work with the airport on noise management and the enforcement of flight-paths (i.e., keeping the airplanes flying over the Freeway-87 / Light-rail / CalTrain corridor rather than low over residential neighborhoods). But should WGNA weigh in on maintaining and enforcing the curfew against late-night flights, or should WGNA weigh in on supporting a vibrant 24/7 city and airport that is the economic engine of the valley?

Question 3: Baseball

What do you think about a baseball stadium near the Diridon (Cahill) Train Station? It is far enough away from Willow Glen that we are unlikely to get a lot of fans parking on our streets, but it may add to traffic on game-days. It may be beneficial, bringing in customers for the Lincoln Avenue businesses. If funded in part with City tax revenues, it may mean less money available for street repair, libraries, and parks, or it may bring in additional revenue from out-of-town guests that may mean more money for street repair, libraries, and parks.

Question 4: Shop Lincoln Avenue?

What would encourage you to frequent Lincoln Avenue more often? Are you discouraged by the lack of adequate parking, or does the traffic on the Avenue impede you from walking there? Hours of operation, choice of shops and services? Would more or different “amenities” (landscaping, kiosks, rest stops, etc.) make a difference? Again, there’s probably more than a single item, so again, split 6 votes per person among the different choices: all for one, split 50-50, or whatever.

Question 5: Lincoln Avenue needs…?

What do you think we need on Lincoln Avenue? WGNA can’t go out and recruit any specific corporation to relocate in Willow Glen, but we certainly can pass along information to the Business Association. So, what’s missing? Do we need more entertainment geared towards adults (e.g., night clubs, coffee shops, pubs, micro-brewery, etc.)? How about “family entertainment” or kid-oriented services (movies? game arcades? kiddie play rooms?) Do we need more restaurants on the Avenue, and if so, what type: family-oriented or fancier high-end? Do we need more services: (banks, real estate, legal, appliance or computer repair, cleaners, spas, etc.)? Or do we need more stores, and of what type (“useful stuff” stores such as book, hardware, drugs, and groceries, or “fun stuff” such as curios, boutiques, antiques, and collectables)? Again, there’s probably no single answer, so divvy up 6 points per person among your favorites.

Question 6: Lincoln Avenue hours

When should the street “close”? We don’t want to go back to the days when they “rolled up the sidewalk” at 5:30, but then again this isn’t a 24/7 city like Las Vegas or Manhattan. And also, there is only so much that can be done: voting for midnight won’t keep the banks open late, and some businesses (e.g., Plaza Real and Jack-in-the-Box) are “grandfathered” (allowed to stay open late despite current rules because they were there before the rules were written). So, what’s a good time to close up and go to sleep?

• 10 PM (or earlier): this is a bedroom community
• Midnight: some people work long days and want to have dinner or meet friends after work
• 2 AM: party close to home; avoid the travel to/from the City.

Question 7: Granny Flats

How do you feel about “Secondary Dwelling Units” (also known as “Granny Flats”)? They can be a source of “affordable housing”, but they can also place a strain on local infrastructure (e.g., street parking, schools, and parks). They can be a great place for housing an aging parent near family, but still providing independent living and without impacting family life. But, then again, there is no guarantee that the housing would be for “granny”: it might be rented out. However, this rental income could help pay the mortgage. Approval of Granny Flats in no way would force you to put one in your back yard, but it might allow your neighbor to have one next door. So, there’s a range of possible choices:

• none/no way/tear down existing illegal units
• make existing units legal, but don’t build any more
• allow new units in appropriate situations (e.g., sufficiently large lot, set-backs from neighboring fence-lines, etc.)
• allow new units anyplace

Question 8: Traffic LOS

How do you feel about the City’s proposed changes to the “Level of Service” (LOS) Policy? Signalized intersections are rated according to how long it typically takes to cross the street, on a scale of “A” (for no delays) to “D” (one is often stuck at the light for nearly a minute), or “E” (two or more light cycles), or even level “F” (total breakdown of the intersection: you might get through the intersection sometime later that day!).

The present City Policy states that intersections should be kept at level “D” or better. If a developer want to construct a project that will add so much traffic on the roads that an intersection would degrade to level “E” or “F”, then the developer must “fix” the situation, perhaps by widening the road at his/her expense, or buying improved traffic lights, or putting in left-turn lanes: there are a number of possible solutions.

But what happens when the “solutions” are worse than the problem? A specific case in point: Willow at Lincoln. Possible solutions are the widening the road to put in a left-turn lane by removing the sidewalks, or redirecting traffic onto adjacent streets. So, does that mean that there can be no new developments in the Willow Glen area? Or should City Policy “protect” the Willow/Lincoln intersection from “fixes” that are worse than the problem, allowing the developments to go in unrestricted and just living with gridlock at the intersection. Is there a middle-ground: accept somewhat degraded service at the intersection, and accepting some limited development in the area. So, the choices are:

• Keep Level-of-Service “D” everywhere, even if it constricts future development in the area.
• Keep Level-of-Service “D: allow development, and widen Lincoln and/or direct traffic onto adjacent streets
• Allow Level-of-Service “E” at a few specific intersections (including Lincoln/Willow): allow some development in the area, live with congestion at a few intersections, but generally require developers to fix the problems they create where feasible

Allow Level-of-Service “F” at specific intersections: build whatever developers want, and only fix the traffic problems when it’s easy.

Also, we invite you to complete the following questionnaire. Many thanks!

Question 1: Where should WGNA concentrate its limited volunteer efforts? Each voter: split a total of 6 points among the following choices:

__ __ zoning / land-use / traffic & parking

__ __ community events (Founders’ Day, Ice Cream Socials, movies)

__ __ environmental projects (tree plantings, creek restorations, etc.)

__ __ historic preservation (save old buildings and oral history)

__ __ public art (shows, fund-raisers to sponsor local sculpture, etc.)

__ __ community communication (website, eList, bulletin boards (?))

__ __ member support services (e.g., after-school classes)

__ __ safety resources (coordinate Neighborhood Watches, cleanups)

Question 2: How do you feel about the San Jose International Airport?

o o maintain the curfew: sleep is a “quality of life” issue

o o support all-night operations: enhances the economy

Question 3: How do you feel about a baseball stadium near the Diridon (Cahill) CalTrain station?

o o favor

o o oppose

Question 4: What would encourage you to shop on Lincoln Avenue more? Each voter: split a total of 6 points among the following choices:

__ __ better parking

__ __ easier to walk to / less vehicular traffic

__ __ better hours

__ __ choice of shops and services

__ __ public amenities (streetscape, kiosks, benches, etc.)

Question 5: Lincoln Avenue needs more ___? Each voter: split a total of 6 points among the following choices:

__ __ adult entertainment (nightclubs, coffee shops, microbreweries)

__ __ family entertainment (movies, game arcades, kiddie play rooms)

__ __ family restaurants

__ __ fancy (high-end) restaurants

__ __ services (banks, legal, repair shops, cleaners, spas)

__ __ “useful stuff” stores (books, hardware, drugs, groceries”

__ __ “fun stuff” stores (curios, boutiques, antiques, collectables)

Question 6: When should Lincoln Avenue “close”?

o o 10 PM or earlier

o o midnight

o o 2 AM

Question 7: How do you feel about “Granny Flats”?

o o none; tear down existing non-compliant dwellings

o o make existing units legal, but don’t build any more

o o allow new units in appropriate situations

o o allow new units anywhere

Question 8: How do you feel about the traffic “Level of Service” (LOS) Policy?

o o keep LOS-D, even if it constricts future development locally

o o keep LOS-D, even if it means widening streets or rerouting traffic

o o allow LOS-E at some intersections: some development & congestion

o o allow all development; live with LOS-F congestion

Comments:__________________________________________________

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