Willow Glen
Neighborhood Association
P. O. Box 7706,
San Jose CA 95150
408/294-WGNA
November 24, 2009
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
San Jose City Planning Department
City of San Jose
200 East Santa Clara Street
San Jose, California 95113
Re: GP09-T-01, Ohlone, D-6 TOD Project
Dear Honorable Mayor and Council:
We must reduce automobile dependence. We must support and enhance
multi-modal public
transportation
and minimize impacts of growth on existing community character while protecting
the area’s
quality of life. Mounting traffic congestion, diminishing affordable housing,
receding
open
space, existing urban sprawl, air pollution and threatened wildlife along our
trails, creeks
and trails are at
crisis levels.
At the heart of well-designed and desirable TOD development is a
Sense of Place, Economic
Sustainability and Quality of Life (QOL).
GP09-T-01 fails to meet those high standards and best design
practices for building a community
of 800
residential units and nearly 2,000 residents. It’s a Housing Project; leaving
adequate
transit,
adequate commercial mixed-use space, park and recreation space and a desirable
sense
of place to
someone else in another time… maybe.
The fundamental principles of the Midtown Plan (MSP) are sound.
Urban density requirements
and need for TOD
are fully understood. We accept and support that. Sacrificing QOL, Economic
Sustainability and Sense of Place is unacceptable. It is unfair to
the future 2,000 or so residents
of this
development and the nearby neighborhoods.
Midtown Specific Plan issues:
The Midtown Specific Plan
is a successful model of an integrated planning process involving
neighborhoods,
business community and City staff.
·
Lack of or elimination of adequate
ground and lower floor(s) commercial, office and livework
space essential to economic sustainability and resident
convenience.
·
Reduction of sidewalk widths and
ground level structure setbacks offering a more
welcoming pedestrian-friendly sense of place and safe passage.
General:
·
Toxic soils under and around the
project grounds and acceptable means of removal and
or mitigation. (soil samples
included 6 different types of dangerous chemicals)
·
Toxic soils in space reserved for Park Land
dedication; and public discussion regarding
mitigation
options and costs, and the City’s position and resolutions of this.
Text Amendment issues: and DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Text Amendment changes recommended in
Draft EIR were not covered in public meetings with
the developer and
should require more thorough outreach with the public.
Text Changes deleting the San Carlos
Light Rail Station could lessen residential and commercial
unit market value and in
turn its reduce its marketability as sought-after TOD space. Deleting
this station could
encourage residents to use their cars, not ride a buss.
Text changes to the plan that are
this significant should have significant public weigh in.
·
No
flat walls facing prevailing winds. VTA has problems with winds with their rail
crossing
arms.
·
Maximize
commercial/retail FAR (Floor Area Ratio) for potential commercial and
economic value.
·
40-100
dwelling units to the acre, (net)
·
Orient
building to face San Carlos light rail station
·
Project
should adhere to OEI Standards (One Engine Inopporative)
as recommended by
ALUC
(Airport Land Use Commission) stated in the draft S.J. Airport Plan 08/04/2009
·
Parking
total to match phasing of project
·
Sunol step-up set back +10 feet, +10 feet
of side walk to promote safe passage.
·
San
Carlos Step-up set back +10 feet, +10 feet of sidewalk to promote safe passage
·
Maximize
Bike standards: Secure weatherproof storage for both commute and
recreational bikes for each
dwelling unit. Secure visitor/guest bike storage
·
Overbuild
the parking to acknowledge transition time for increased transit use to
position
the parking space for
conversion to public park space over a phased period of time.
Discussion:
Commercial and Live-Work Space: The MidTown Specific Plan calls for 100,000 sq. ft. of retail
with a 100 ft set backs. The Project was discussed and showing 30,00 sq. ft. Text Amendment
reduced this to 15,000 sq.
ft. of retail.
Deletion of "Work Space 15,000
square feet" was not noted in public meetings. Our City needs
retail and live-work space
to generate revenue for city core services.
Design: In our first
meeting at Lincoln High School, the we were told this project would be
"world
class". The architectural features of this design should be visually
interesting. It is
important to identify the
geographic, demographic and social characteristics of the local
neighborhood; and reflect
notable architectural features evident in older nearby neighborhoods.
Soil: Samples were taken
after we were given the EIR and they reflect contaminated dirt with
over six carcinogens.
The Toxic substance report showed high levels of Arsenic on both the
planned development site
and especially on the site planned for the future Del Monte Park.
Height: All three towers
violate the MSP height Standard of 90 feet and project heights of 160
feet. These changes
challenge the economic viability and success of the new San Jose
International
Airport expansion.
The heights of all three towers raise serious questions with
respect to "OEI"
standard. Should an engine fail as a large jet departs southerly loaded with fuel
and
passengers the aircraft could crash at the proposed development and cause a
serious loss of
life for many
passengers and residents living in the Midtown area.
History: "Tamien Station
Towers development was promoted to be a well designed TOD.
However this project has
not raised transit usage and it has Caltrain and
Light Rail service.
Properly time phased with
mixed use commercial and live-work space, parks and other QOL
amenities, this
may have lived up to its billing; even while people are downsizing during
economic hard
times.
Ohlone
Project: Without a nearby Lt Rail station, safe walkable
means to needed services, park
and
recreational grounds and other QOL amenities, this project could easily be
perceived as the
next Tamien Towers.
Designed and built in
spirit and of a MidTown sustainable full service
livable community, it could
be viewed
as the cornerstone of TOD setting the standards for the World Class City San
Jose
envisions.
We
Request the acceptance of the EIR for
this project GP09-T-01 be deferred until the
public fully understands the intent of the text amendment changes. Or,
separate the DEIR
the draft dialog from the MidTown Text
Amendment change to allow for further public
involvement.
Sincerely,
Richard Zappelli,
Chair Planning and Land Use Committee
Willow Glen Neighborhood Association
cc: Office of the City Clerk, San Jose, CA cityclerk@sanjoseca.gov
RZ/dd