Nurturing Nature in San Jose Parks - San Jose's Greenprint Update

In our ever-expanding cities, nature often gets tossed to the wayside and considered only as an afterthought. 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 2017, 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.

Almaden Lake Open Space and Wildlife Corridor Saved! 

Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society advocacy team worked closely with Almaden Valley residents in opposition to a proposed housing and trail development on a hillside near Almaden Lake. This land on Winfield Road, 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. Building homes here would have significantly degraded the aesthetically pleasing views of the hillside from Almaden Lake Park and Alamitos Creek Trail. We felt that protecting the views, the wildlife habitat and the wildlife corridor was far more important than few luxury housing units and public access everywhere. With the community and other groups, we provided comment letters, engaged in advocacy with decision makers, and helped gather over 1200 signatures on a petition. In addition, after learning that the land was promised to remain open space forever, Councilmember Johnny Khamis did not support the residential development there. Valley Christian, the landowner, dropped the application and we are glad that the deer, rabbits, and variety of birds that are often spotted on the hillside will remain protected from encroachment on their habitat by inappropriate development.

• Letter to Planning Commission (11/15/16)

• Comments on Negative Declaration - A Joint Letter (10/24/16)

almaden office project

San Jose City Council unanimously approved the Almaden Office Project with almost no setback from the Guadalupe River riparian corridor. We worked with the Sierra Club on a formal letter, writing an expert opinion on birds and riparian habitat. The Sierra Club is considering litigation and our Environmental Advocate Shani Kleinhaus is collaborating with Sierra Club’s lawyers on a potential suit.

Alviso Hotel

MND for a new (second) hotel on the Topgolf property. SCVAS has opposed the Topgolf project and litigated the Mitigated Negative Declaration. In 2017, we settled our lawsuit. Now, the same developer is proposing another hotel on the remaining open space on the property, even though the previous CEQA documents stated that there will be no additional development there.

gschwend residence on santa teresa hills

The City of San Jose has prepared an Environmental Review (Mitigated Negative Declaration) for the project. We provided comment letters and secured expert testimony from Pathways for Wildlife - a wildlife connectivity research group that has been studying wildlife movement and safe crossings in Coyote Valley and its vicinity for over a decade. We asked the City of San Jose to deny the Conditional Use Permit for this project, or require a full Environmental Impact Report for the project. Most recently, the city has delayed consideration by the Planning Commission to the beginning of next year. This shows our work is making a difference! We hope Mr. Gschwend will be motivated to sell his property to a land conservation organization.