Conservation Corner July/August 2017

By Shani Kleinhaus and Mackenzie Mossing 

San Jose Recognizes SCVAS Advocacy

In May, Councilmember Raul Peralez, Mayor Sam Liccardo and the great City of San Jose presented Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter with a commendation for our advocacy work in engaging and encouraging the community to explore, enjoy, and protect our planet. It is gratifying to be appreciated for our many years of advocating for creeks and wetlands, parks and open space, migratory and resident birds, and wildlife habitat. We are thankful to Councilmember Peralez and District 3 Staff, Mayor Liccardo, and City Councilmembers for recognizing our work, and we congratulate our partners at Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter.

Shani Kleinhaus accepting the award by District 3 Staff

Coyote Valley: Good News and Fun

The proposed “Panattoni Project” is no more – in June, Peninsula Open Space Trust acquired the disputed thirty acres in North Coyote Valley. We strongly opposed the Panattoni development due to potential habitat loss and harm to critical wildlife movement along Fisher Creek. Wins are rare, and we celebrate this one!

The long awaited vision for Coyote Valley emerged in June, when Open Space Authority (OSA) published the hope to purchase additional land and to preserve North Coyote Valley for its wildlife habitat and critical hydrological function. We look forward to continuing work with OSA and the community to preserve the valley. We are also looking to further scientific exploration of the valley. For that purpose: 

• We recently published a comprehensive report, “The Birds of Coyote Valley,” to showcase the importance of the valley to resident and migratory birds. (www.scvas.org/pdf/Conservation/The_Birds_of_Coyote_Valley_012017.pdf)

• We are planning a Coyote Valley BioBlitz on August 19th. This event will focus on identifying species of animals, insects, and plants in designated sites across the valley. To participate, please email BioBlitzCA@gmail.com or RSVP at coyote-valley-bioblitz.eventbrite.com. See page 2 announcement for details.

Let’s keep the momentum going! Invite friends and neighbors to join our advocacy list and participate in BioBlitz. Please consider inviting SCVAS to speak about Coyote Valley at your San Jose neighborhood association meeting (email advocate@scvas.org)!

Protecting Birds from Collision with Glass: LinkedIn

LinkedIn’s new redevelopment project (on Middlefield Road and Highway 237) would infill a sparse office campus with three additional six-story office buildings, two parking structures, and a four- to five-acre open area. Our concerns arose after reviewing architectural renderings that showed large walls of glass incorporated into the design. We asked the Mountain View City Council to require bird-safe design for the project and several Councilmembers expressed concern. LinkedIn representatives have since promised to incorporate bird-safe design in the new buildings. This campus will join North Bayshore campuses where Intuit, Google, and Microsoft are all building with birds in mind.

Electronic Billboards: What They Mean for Birds and Wildlife

The City of San Jose is looking to intensify electronic billboards for commercial advertising in downtown and North San Jose. These billboards contribute to light pollution and sky glow and are also disruptive to wildlife and cast light into nearby residences at night. During the migratory season birds can confuse bright light with the sun, often causing them to collide with building facades. Corridors along rivers, streams, and creeks provide habitat to many species and are especially sensitive to increases in light pollution. We have expressed our concerns to the City and will continue to advocate against intensification of electronic billboards, especially near sensitive wildlife habitat.

Advocating for Birds and Nature in Our Parks

SCVAS has long advocated for the inclusion of birds and nature in all parks in our region. When residents are asked to prioritize park amenities, they often ask for nature to be protected and enhanced even in urban parks. Residents also value access to nature and environmental education programs. SCVAS is currently engaged in several Parks Master Plan updates throughout the county, including:

• The Palo Alto Parks, Recreation, and Natural Open Space Master Plan is now complete and going through environmental review. SCVAS participated as a stakeholder and contributed to the plan’s goals, policies, and programs. We also commented on the Mitigated Negative Declaration.

• San Jose’s Greenprint is in the community outreach stage. We are on the Steering Committee for the plan and held an intercept event to gather input from residents.

• Cupertino is starting a City-Wide Parks Master Plan and Santa Clara County Parks is embarking on a new Strategic Plan. We continue to advocate for the inclusion of goals, policies, and programs that focus on preserving natural habitat and protecting birds.

The Egrets of Shorebird Way

The Egret Rookery on Google’s campus in Mountain View is bustling with activity. This year, the sycamore trees along Shorebird Way are supporting more than ninety nests, home to families of Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, and Black-crowned Night Herons. Through our partnership with Google, SCVAS hosted Egret Office Hours every week in May and June to educate Google employees and the public about the rookery. The egrets are expected to stay through summer and we highly recommend a visit to Shorebird Way!

Conservation Corner May/June 2017

By Mackenzie Mossing, SCVAS Environmental Advocacy Associate 

Young Ranch proposed development puts open space, wildlife, and birds at risk. After a 2014 defeat, YCS Investments is at it again with yet another proposal to develop Young Ranch – a 79-lot subdivision on the southeast hillsides just outside San Jose’s Greenline. A natural extension of Coyote Ridge, Young Ranch contains ecologically sensitive habitat where Tule Elk roam, Golden Eagles fly over the grasslands, and wildlife use natural springs to quench their thirst. In spring, wildflowers create spectacular displays, and the endangered Bay Checkerspot Butterfly hovers among the flowers.  We are concerned with the loss of this open space and habitat, and fear the proposed residential development will introduce cats and rodenticides onto the property, consequently impacting birds and other wildlife. SCVAS has joined other environmental organizations in submitting comments to the County highlighting our concerns and the inadequacy of the environmental impact report produced for the project.

Young Ranch by Shani Kleinhaus

Another proposed development in the County, Cordoba Center, abuts Llagas Creek in San Martin and also has the potential to impact birds and wildlife. We have submitted comment letters to the County addressing our concerns with this project as well. 

Museum Place project threatens the birds of Plaza de Cesar Chavez. A proposal to add a 24-story mixed-use high rise to the Tech Museum in San Jose will cast a shadow on Plaza de Cesar Chavez, dramatically changing the environment of the park. Several palm trees in the park serve as nesting sites for Acorn Woodpeckers, and are slated for removal should they be affected by the shade. In a letter to the City of San Jose, we outlined our concern that the shading of the park and removal of these palm trees may cause the eviction of the Acorn Woodpecker colony. The development’s giant cliff of glass may also pose a hazard to birds that are susceptible to colliding with glass, including Cooper’s Hawks and Cedar Waxwings. We will continue to advocate and offer suggestions to protect birds in the park.

Google moves forward with a new campus development (Charleston East). In March, Mountain View City Council voted to approve Google’s new campus on Charleston Road. We were supportive of the proposal to replace some of the non-native trees, including redwoods, with tree species that regenerate our valley’s historical landscape. We hope that in just a few years, willows, cottonwood, sycamore, oaks and other native trees will provide an enriched habitat for birds and for people in North Bayshore. The Charleston East project embraces a complex set of ecological planning and sustainability concepts. From a bird’s point of view, the project proposes bird-friendly glass, minimized light pollution, and the replacement of linear street tree model with a complex palette of native plants and trees. Through our partnership with Google, we are able to offer guided birding tours of the various native habitats that have been integrated into the fabric of their current campus. We envision the Charleston East project will prove to be as successful as the current campus in providing sustenance for local and migrating birds.

A sand and gravel quarry and an endangered species mitigation bank are proposed for sections of the 6200-acre Sargent Ranch at the southwestern border of Santa Clara County. This is the latest in decades of efforts to use this land. Over time, dozens of oil wells have been constructed here, but efforts to develop golf courses, a casino, luxury homes and residential communities have all ended up in litigation and bankruptcy. SCVAS and other environmental organizations opposed the development of Sargent Ranch in the early 2000s, and we remain concerned today.

Photo: Tar Creek at Sargent Ranch by Shani Kleinhaus

The Gilroy Dispatch describes Sargent Ranch as “a magnet for real estate developers, a Holy Grail to nature conservationists, and ‘most sacred grounds’ to a local Native American tribe.” Indeed, every inch of this land is holy to the Amah Matsun Tribal Band. Wildlife are free to roam and raptors to soar. The rolling hills of Sargent Ranch hide natural seeps of oil that creep down the slopes into the sycamore-shaded (aptly named) Tar Creek.

Though this area is a unique natural resource for residents and wildlife, sand is an important commodity and we expect to see support for local mining of sand and gravel. We will be watching as this plan moves forward and will consider the impacts of this project on birds and nature.

Conservation Corner March/April 2017

By Shani Kleinhaus, SCVAS Environmental Advocate

Santa Clara Valley Audubon recently filed suit against the City of San Jose, challenging the approval of the Topgolf Project in Alviso.

In December, San Jose City Council certified an Environmental Review Document and approved a General Plan Amendment to the Alviso Specific Plan in conjunction with planned development rezoning. This will allow a 36-acre site along North First Street to be developed into a commercial/retail space, hotel, and an indoor/outdoor Topgolf recreation facility: a three-story driving structure where groups drive golf balls into an artificial turf area surrounded by 170-ft. netting. This center will open in the direction of the Guadalupe River, and will have lights and music every day, from the evening to the early morning hours.

We believe that the City has violated the California Environmental Quality Act by providing an inadequate level of analysis and mitigation for this project, circumventing its own land use directives, and degrading the natural and social fabric of Alviso. The City failed to recognize the significant and permanent harm that this project will impose on the environment and the Alviso Community.

Situated in an ecologically valuable and sensitive area of the bay, Alviso is a small, quaint town known for its natural amenities. Along the waterfront, marshes, salt ponds, and tidal sloughs comprise the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge and Salt Pond Restoration project, contributing to the beauty and unique character of the coastal town. Flocks of wintering and migratory birds visit Alviso’s bay lands, making it a popular location for birders. In addition, the Guadalupe River provides habitat and a wildlife and migration corridor, to the enjoyment of the many residents who frequent the Guadalupe Creek Trail. Alviso is also home to the largest breeding Burrowing Owl population in the South Bay.

We consider development of the Topgolf project to be a significant and permanent loss of Burrowing Owl habitat, a resource that is desperately needed to support the largest remaining population of owls in the South Bay. As if the loss of foraging habitat for Burrowing Owls was not enough, the Topgolf facility will be surrounded by a staggering 170-ft netting structure adjacent to the Guadalupe River, creating an eyesore that will be seen for miles in San Jose, Santa Clara and all along Highway 237. What’s more, the project has been approved for late night use: bright lights, loud music, and drinking will be permitted on site until 2AM. Did we mention the development would also be located across the street from Alviso’s elementary school? Surely this project will cause a disturbance to migratory birds and to the Alviso community. 

Our lawsuit is based on our finding that the Mitigated Negative Declaration document produced by the City does not provide an adequate level of analysis and mitigation for the loss of Burrowing Owl habitat and the aesthetic impacts of 170-ft netting. We believe that the Topgolf project does not align with unique aesthetic and ecological qualities of Alviso, and is therefore an inappropriate development for this community.

A win for wildlife!

Los Gatos Town Council has selected wildlife-friendly fencing as a strategic priority for the Town, modifying the town code regarding fences to allow wildlife movement. Along with other environmental organizations, SCVAS asked town leaders to preserve permeability and migration routes. Rapid urbanization of the Bay Area has created a severely fragmented remnant wildlife habitat, forcing animals to traverse roads, highways, fencing and other barriers in order to migrate and access vital resources. With this, conflict between humans and wildlife often arise, posing a safety hazard to both animals and vehicle traffic. By developing an ordinance that restricts the use of impassable property fences, the Town of Los Gatos is making an effort that will make a tremendous difference in the ability of wildlife to move through our area. 

The City of San Jose is updating its Greenprint, a long-term strategic plan that guides future expansion of San Jose's parks, recreation facilities, and community services. PLEASE HELP by filling out the Greenprint Survey at (link no longer available) and prioritize "natural places that support wildlife habitat and low impact recreation uses."

For more information or to get involved in conservation and advocacy work, contact Shani at shani@scvas.org.

Conservation Corner January/February 2017

by Shani Kleinhaus, SCVAS Environmental Advocate

Great news for wildlife and open space: Winfield Project in San Jose dropped! Our advocacy team worked closely with Almaden Valley residents to oppose a housing and trail development on designated open space on a hillside near Almaden Lake. This land, at the edge of the city’s boundary, was designated private open space in the 1980’s and is used by deer, California Quail and other wildlife species as a corridor for moving from the Santa Teresa Foothills to Almaden Valley. Changing the land use designation to public open space and residential housing would have significantly degraded the beautiful views of the hillside from Almaden Lake Park and Alamitos Creek Trail. In addition, we felt that protecting the wildlife habitat and corridor was far more important than public access everywhere. Our comment letters, advocacy with decision makers, and over 1200 signatures on a petition helped support San Jose staff position and convince the Planning Commission that this project should not proceed. The applicant dropped the application and we are hopeful that the wildlife in this area will remain protected from any inappropriate development.

Continuing the fight to protect Coyote Valley: 

• SCVAS staff and volunteers (thank you!) attended a public scoping meeting for the proposed Blanchard Rd. (Panattoni) Warehouse Project that would consume thirty acres of North Coyote Valley. We also submitted scoping comments regarding potential impacts on birds, creeks, and wildlife corridors.

• The 2011 General Plan allocated 50,000 jobs for North Coyote Valley, an unrealistic number for the area and one that could lead to widespread industrial development. In its four-year General Plan Review, the City recommends reducing job allocation to 35,000. Along with other organizations, we have asked the City to adhere to its task force recommendation of 20,000 jobs, explaining that we see this as a move in the right direction but continue to believe Coyote Valley is an inappropriate place for development.

Integrating nature into urban and suburban landscapes: 

• Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority has awarded its first grants to urban open space programs. A conversation with the Environmental Action Committee was the first to highlight the importance of connecting people to nature within our built environment and SCVAS also endorsed Measure Q in 2014. We are glad that funding is now available to support nature restoration and education programs.

• In Palo Alto, we engaged as a stakeholder in the planning of the Palo Alto Parks, Trails, Natural Open Space and Recreation Master Plan. The plan now includes the goal to “Preserve and integrate nature, natural systems and ecological principles throughout Palo Alto” as well as policies that support this goal. We hope these plans along with Palo Alto’s Urban Forest Master Plan will help birds thrive.

• The City of San Jose is updating its Greenprint, a long-term strategic plan that guides future expansion of San José’s parks, recreation facilities and community services. PLEASE HELP by filling out the Greenprint Survey (link no longer available), and prioritize “natural places that support wildlife habitat and low impact recreation uses.”

• On IBM’s campus in North Coyote Valley, we successfully advocated for the replacement of six dangerous Eucalyptus trees with twelve Coast Live Oaks. We also helped landscape architects incorporate native plant understory with native trees on property along the Guadalupe River Trail across from Ulistac Natural Area.

Mountain View is considering an updated North Bayshore Precise Plan (NBPP) that appears to keep its commitment to birds and wildlife while building “complete neighborhoods” of 8- to 10-story buildings to provide housing, goods, and services to residents. Previously, the NBPP focused on expanding the office park while integrating nature into the campus fabric. We asked the City to keep development away from the egret colony of Shorebird Way and to safeguard Shoreline Park’s wildlife, especially Burrowing Owls, from disturbance. 

The Lehigh cement quarry has been polluting air and water in Cupertino for decades, discharging selenium, a chemical compound toxic to birds and other animals, into Permanente Creek and area ponds. In November we joined approximately 100 people in an informational public meeting regarding the quarry. Given the known impacts of selenium on fish and birds, we are disappointed that government agencies have not acted faster to stop this source of selenium pollution. We will continue to follow future plans for the quarry and advocate for clean water and air. 

For more information or to get involved in conservation and advocacy work, contact Shani at shani@scvas.org.