Conservation Corner March/April 2018

By Shani Kleinhaus and Mackenzie Mossing

Evergreen Initiative: A Threat to Coyote Valley

This June, San Jose residents will be asked to vote on a ballot measure that could transform the open space and wildlife habitat of Coyote Valley into sprawling subdivisions. The so-called “Evergreen Senior Homes Initiative” is a deceptive, misleading scheme that will rewrite San Jose’s General Plan to impose a “senior housing overlay” on all of San Jose’s “underutilized employment lands”. This includes North Coyote Valley, an area of ecological, hydrological, and cultural significance.  The initiative is a blueprint for sprawl, and is not likely to help disadvantaged veterans and seniors - it actually reduces the City’s requirements for affordable housing. The initiative also circumvents environmental review and deprives the public from opportunities to participate in the review process - a process that SCVAS environmental advocates frequently engage in to protect birds and nature. Given the threat to Coyote Valley and lack of environmental review, we have joined other environmental groups and community leaders to defeat the initiative. Email MackenzieSCVAS@gmail.com or visit stopthedeception.com to learn more and click “take action” to endorse and volunteer to help.

Calling All Campbell Residents!

The City of Campbell is currently updating the “Envision Campbell” General Plan that will guide the growth of the city. This is an opportunity to advocate for a vision and policies that look to preserve and plant native trees, protect riparian habitats and open space, and require bird-safe design for buildings. The Los Gatos Creek corridor is being targeted for high-density development with no riparian setbacks. The birds and wildlife that rely on this important habitat need us to speak up for them! Please consider attending a community workshop on Monday, March 5, 6:30-8:30PM at the San Jose Christian School, and encourage the City to include nature and birds in the plan. If you are unable to attend the workshop but would like more details, please email Mackenzie at MackenzieSCVAS@gmail.com for more information and opportunities to participate.

Great Egret Chicks at Google by Mackenzie Mossing

 Protecting the Ecosystems of Mountain View’s North Bayshore

Stretching between the bay and Highway 101, Mountain View’s North Bayshore is an area of significant ecological importance, and a focus of SCVAS’ advocacy for many years. The area is a birding hotspot, attracting migratory and resident birds seeking food and water in the Stevens Creek and Permanente Creek corridors, Charleston Road Marsh, and Shoreline Park. Hundreds of egrets congregate here each spring and summer to nest and raise their young along Shorebird Way. As Mountain View looks to transform the area with 9,000+ additional housing units, we engaged with our partners at the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter to advocate for the birds and wildlife that rely on the North Bayshore. Due to our efforts, the new North Bayshore Precise Plan mandates bird-safe design for all new construction, as well as setbacks from the retention basin and egret rookery. The new plan’s implementation document also includes district sustainability measures that aim to monitor biological indicators and sensitive habitats within the area.

Advocating for Birds in Cupertino

Situated next to Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve and Permanente Creek, the Forum Senior Community in Cupertino is looking to expand with additional villas and supportive care facilities. The 3,988-ace preserve is home to over 125 bird species, including several special-status species, and provides habitat for other native California wildlife. Considering the sensitive nature of the area, we provided comments on the Environmental Impact Report and asked for bird-safe design, the preservation of oaks, and mitigation for the loss of open space.

With More Planned Growth, Stanford Should Set Boundaries

As Stanford nears the completion of facilities and housing authorized by the 2000 General Use Permit, the University has applied for a new permit to add 2.275M square feet of academic and academic support (non-residential) space, 3,150 dwelling units or beds, and 40,000 square feet of additional building space to their campus between 2018 and 2035. Along with the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, we sent comments asking for bird-safe design, protections for open space, and mitigations for light pollution.

Conservation Corner January/February 2018

By Shani Kleinhaus and Mackenzie Mossing

Nurturing Nature in San Jose Parks
In our ever-expanding cities, nature often gets tossed to the wayside and considered only as an after thought. However, parks can play a vital role by providing critical wildlife habitat in urban landscapes, and so we continue to advocate for a focus on nature in various cities’ parks plans. For the past year, we have been engaged in the steering committee for San Jose’s update to its Greenprint - a long-term strategic plan that guides the  future expansion of San Jose’s parks. In November, when the City Council was presented with an update on the Greenprint process, we encouraged them to include nature and habitat quality when assessing existing parks and identifying future park sites. Thanks to support from Councilmember Don Rocha, our recommendations were added to the motion and approved unanimously by City Council.

Santa Clara County Sanborn Park Threatened
High above Saratoga, Sanborn County Park comprises a dense wilderness of madrones, oaks, and conifers that provide habitat and connectivity for wildlife in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Here, quail and turkeys, Peregrine Falcons, woodpeckers, and songbirds can be seen and heard throughout the forest. But a heated debate over a nearby abandoned Christmas tree farm has caused us consternation. The farm (about twenty acres) is part of 140 acres that are designated for development of “active recreation” in a newly initiated update to the Sanborn Park Master Plan. The only idea for such “active recreation” has come from a group of mountain bike enthusiasts who are pushing for the parcel to be transformed into a high-impact bike park with jumps, ramps, and trails that could attract 1,000+ visitors per day. However, community members and environmental groups want to see the park left alone or restored to serve as habitat for wildlife, where only quiet, passive recreation is allowed. In November we attended a public meeting regarding the Plan, and joined the vast majority of the crowd calling for a focus on nature. We will continue to advocate for the wildlife that rely on this landscape.

Santa Clara Valley Water District Looking to Expand Pacheco Dam
Santa Clara Valley Water District recently applied for California Water Bond funding to expand the Pacheco Reservoir east of Gilroy. The expanded dam would be filled mostly with water from San Luis Reservoir and some storm runoff from the surrounding watershed. It would also be used to store water imported through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. While the project aims to provide much needed water to wildlife refuges in the Central Valley and to Pacheco Creek for the threatened Central Coast Steelhead, we are wary of new dams, the potential for contamination of Pacheco Creek and the Pajaro watershed with invasive species, and whether environmental benefits will be guaranteed. We outlined our concerns in comments on the Initial Study and Notice of Preparation, and also attended a working group meeting for the project. We will continue to be involved.

Palo Alto Baylands by Kelsey Frey

Palo Alto Baylands: Ongoing Planning and Engagement
In the past few years, SCVAS advocates and volunteers contributed to a large number of projects in the Palo Alto Baylands and areas east of Hwy 101. With the goals of minimizing harm to birds and their ecosystems, and of preserving and enhancing nature and bird habitat, we actively engaged in planning processes for the new golf course, Byxbee Park Master Plan, San Francisquito Creek flood control plans, Palo Alto Airport’s Wildlife Hazard Management Plan, Adobe Creek bridge, the Parks Master Plan, and even the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan update. Most of these plans are now complete and in the process of being implemented. Recently, the City has embarked on a new Baylands Comprehensive Conservation Plan, which aims to consider opportunities for protection, enhancement and recreation at the Emily Renzel Wetlands, Byxbee Park, and the newly acquired ITT Antenna Field, while also considering the needs of the Water Quality Control Plant, airport, and the impacts of sea level rise. Palo Alto residents are welcome to volunteer and join us for the public outreach process – please email advocate@scvas.org if you are interested in participating.

Lastly,
We need volunteers to help us fight the deceptive and dangerous “Evergreen Senior Homes Initiative” (see main article). Please let us know if you can help spread the word – email advocate@scvas.org.

Conservation Corner November/December 2017

By Shani Kleinhaus and Mackenzie Mossing

Cannabis Cultivation: What Does it Mean for our Waterways?

California’s legalization of cannabis has brought unforeseen implications that may threaten natural resources throughout the state. The state is now developing rules for cannabis cultivation and the current draft policy allows marijuana growers to develop roads and other infrastructure without environmental review, and to bypass the Clean Water Act on federal and state levels. We are greatly concerned with encroachment into waterways and their sensitive ecosystems without CEQA review and without biological opinions by government agencies that examine impacts to endangered species. We outlined our concerns in a letter to the State Water Resources Control Board hoping that the state will make changes for a better final policy. Santa Clara County supervisors adopted a moratorium that temporarily bans commercial cannabis cultivation in unincorporated areas of our county, but this may change in the near future, so we will remain vigilant.

A Win for Wildlife in Los Altos Hills

A long-term engagement with the community of Los Altos Hills focused on the proposed nine-home Stirling subdivision on nineteen acres at the headwater of Matadero Creek. We were concerned with fencing that could block wildlife movement and with the loss of habitat and mature oak trees. Advocacy can be effective! The developer is now looking to preserve oaks and habitat, and to minimize fencing to allow permeability and enhance habitat.

Preservation or Parking Lot?

McClellan Ranch Preserve has been SCVAS’s home for over twenty years. We have fought hard in the past to preserve its natural beauty and ecological integrity from proposals that threatened to pave and build along Stevens Creek. Considering our history with Cupertino, we were dismayed to learn recently that there is a proposal to pave the west side of Steven’s Creek to serve as overflow parking for the preserve. The plans showed an abysmal setback from the creek (less than twenty feet!) and did not include any restorative efforts. We wrote a letter to the City urging them to evaluate other solutions for parking, implement a fifty-ft setback from the creek and restore habitat along the riparian corridor.

Private Home Pushing the Limits

This summer, Audubon members in the Cupertino community alerted us to a proposal for a 9,000-square-foot home in the hillsides on Lindy Lane. While we do not always take issue with private home development, we sprang into action when we learned the project proposed to destroy nineteen trees, including many native oaks. We were also concerned that approval of this project would set a precedent for more urban sprawl into the hillsides. Through letters and conversations with staff and planning commissioners, we urged the City to reduce the project’s footprint and the number of trees that would be removed. The City also heard overwhelming opposition from the community. The Planning Commission has since asked the developer to return with a significantly smaller design.

The Fight to Save Coyote Valley Continues 

In Coyote Valley and Santa Teresa Hills, we continue to dedicate efforts to review, comment and oppose inappropriate development and to promote the preservation of Coyote Valley and the Santa Teresa Hills nearby. We are currently following development proposals for a home and access road, mobile home resort, and warehouses, as efforts continue to develop the valley floor and the hills that surround it.

Fun and Learning in Overfelt Gardens, East San Jose

Our nature exploration of Overfelt Gardens on September 23rd was a huge success! Nearly fifty people (including local community members, families, and San Jose State students) divided into groups and explored the park’s history and biodiversity. We used the iNaturalist and eBird applications on our smart phones to document every life form that we found. In total, 900 observations recorded 193 species, including 23 species of birds, 38 insects, 12 galls, 15 lichens and mosses, 1 reptile, 4 mammals, and 100 species of trees and plants (see https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/overfelt-park-bioblitz). Bird highlights included a Willow Flycatcher, Wilson’s Snipe, Belted Kingfisher and Black-throated Gray Warbler! We thank San Jose Vice Mayor Magdalena Carrasco and her staff, San Jose Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services, San Jose Parks Advocates, and San Jose State University for their collaboration and participation in this event. We are also grateful for the volunteers who lent their time and expertise to help us create a fun, educational experience for everyone.

Conservation Corner September/October 2017

By Shani Kleinhaus and Mackenzie Mossing

Fighting for Burrowing Owls in North San Jose

Burrowing Owl by Keith Wandry

Burrowing Owl populations have plummeted in Santa Clara County due to the aggressive development of grasslands that historically supported hundreds of owls. Pushed to the brink of extirpation, Burrowing Owls rely heavily on sparse patches of remaining viable habitat, most of which lies along the bay north of Highway 237. Yet despite our best efforts to save the dwindling population and raise awareness, a flurry of new development projects threatens to pave over open space and Burrowing Owl habitat and eradicate them from the region for good.

The Habitat Agency levees fees on projects that impact Burrowing Owl habitat. Unfortunately, fees are only calculated within a half-mile radius of an active nest (defined as a nest that has been occupied in the past three years). The result of this condition is that as the Burrowing Owl population declines, fewer pairs nest in our area and thus most of the open space – even prime Burrowing Owl habitat – is exempt from paying fees. 

Unmitigated loss of habitat is the focus of our advocacy efforts in North San Jose. We recently settled a lawsuit involving Burrowing Owl mitigation fees for the Topgolf project in Alviso. We also commented on a large-scale industrial development proposed on 64.5 acres of agricultural land north of Highway 237 between Zanker Road and Coyote Creek. The project includes infrastructure that will cut right through the bufferlands of the Regional Wastewater Facility – an area that supports the last viable population of Burrowing Owls in the South Bay Area. We will continue to follow this project and advocate for better mitigation.

Private Home Development Threatens Critical Wildlife Corridor

A proposal to develop a McMansion on the cusp of North Coyote Valley attracted our attention due to potential impacts on a critical landscape linkage. The seventeen-acre project site is located along the Coyote-Alamitos Canal, on the southern edge of the Santa Teresa Foothills - a narrow ridge connecting Tulare Hill, Metcalf and the Hamilton Range. This is the only ridge connection for wildlife between the bay and Pacheco Pass south of Gilroy. The hills of this area are home to many wildlife species. Laguna Seca, south of the project site, is the county’s largest natural freshwater wetland, where birds gather to quench their thirst and forage for food. While we are working diligently to protect North Coyote Valley, the ridge to its north is now threatened. It’s a wack-a-mole game!

Deer, bobcats, skunks, raccoons, and coyotes use the Coyote Alamitos Canal to move between Tulare Hill and Santa Teresa Park on a daily basis, and to cross safely under Santa Teresa Boulevard. Hawks, Barn Owls, turkeys, and quail have been seen flying and foraging in the canal during summer months.

The project proposal includes plans to develop an access road immediately adjacent to this canal and culvert, which may significantly impede wildlife movement and direct animals onto Santa Teresa Road, posing a risk to wildlife and drivers. In addition, we fear that fencing, pesticides, and human and pet behaviors might also cause conflicts with wildlife.

We are sad to see this beautiful, ecologically important area targeted for development, and hope the City realizes the value in protecting this piece of land. We will advocate for the protection of this critical landscape linkage and fight for the wildlife that rely so heavily on it.

Museum Place

San Jose Planning Commission recently approved a 24-story mixed-use project in the heart of downtown. We expressed concerns due to the large amounts of glass incorporated into the design, posing a potential collision threat to birds that migrate along the nearby Guadalupe River or live in the adjacent Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park (including a large colony of Acorn Woodpeckers).           

After the Planning Commission meeting, we met with the architects to discuss elements of the development that may be hazardous to birds and offer suggestions. We are reassured to see that metal screening, shades, columns, and balcony balustrades may make the building a bit friendlier for birds. This is a small victory that bolsters our campaign to convince developers to build with birds in mind.

San Jose’s Plans for the Homeless  

San Jose is moving forward with plans to construct “tiny home” communities for the homeless throughout the city. Many of the potential sites that were initially identified were along creek corridors and in parklands. While SCVAS is greatly concerned with the displacement/homelessness crisis in our region and is supportive of transitional housing, we believe that housing solutions should not consume our most sensitive environments. Our advocacy efforts have effected a change in the criteria that directs for site-selection to include 100-ft setbacks from creeks.

Learn About the Birds of Facebook’s Living Roof!

Our 18-month report discussing the results of our monthly bird surveys on Facebook’s Living Roof in Menlo Park is now available. The roof supports a complex habitat that has attracted 36 local and migratory bird species. Read the report here!